One by one, we’re learning how each human experience works. Touch one spot in the brain and fall in love. Stimulate another and have a religious experience without the need for God. Zap another and experience a physical hell that leaves no marks. All proving it’s only chemicals interacting and electricity in gray matter. Think of the fun future Gitmo-type interrogators (or local police) will have extracting information, inflicting true torment or addicting reward by probes and injections (or via injected nanotech which doesn’t require probes, etc and dissolves after a time leaving no trace) directly into the brain. I can’t wait!
Out-of-body experience recreated
Experts have found a way to trigger an out-of-body experience in volunteers.
The experiments, described in the Science journal, offer a scientific explanation for a phenomenon experienced by one in 10 people.
Two teams used virtual reality goggles to con the brain into thinking the body was located elsewhere.
The visual illusion plus the feel of their real bodies being touched made volunteers sense that they had moved outside of their physical bodies.
The researchers say their findings could have practical applications, such as helping take video games to the next level of virtuality so the players feel as if they are actually inside the game.
In my life, I have had only one “para normal” experience and it was an out of body one. I was sober, no drugs, and “with my girlfriend.” I had a double vision of myself where I was and then another one of floating above the bed about 5 feet up. It lasted about 20 seconds.
I think about that experience the same way I would if I nearly died and saw myself walking down a long corridor towards a light===brain chemistry.
Now, if I saw and talked with God?===Bad trip.
The illusion of an out of body experience is different than the actual experience of one. Since both are subjective an individual would have to have both an induced experience (such as the one mentioned in the article) and a spontaneous experience and rank then them.
I had one of the second variety 35 years ago.
For an individual whose understanding of science hasn’t progressed beyond a few leftover Stone Age genes – voila, we have born again rapture!
>>Now, if I saw and talked with God?===Bad trip.
Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it, Pizza Man.
Touch another part of the brain and stimulate obsessiveness with anything religious. That means you Dave.
While we are so involved with ‘out-of-body’ experiences our ‘in-body’ experiences are going to hell. 😉
Cheers
#5: Having evolved beyond the need for it, I find it endlessly fascinating how posting about it I can touch parts of reader’s brains to stimulate obsessive comments.
This experiment is interesting but limited — much like Pavlov’s dog we come to one source of cause and effect but with much in this world there always could be other sources (both physical and otherwise). What would be a nice build on this is how are humans able to activate it involuntarily without the outside human intervention? Another questions is do species other than our own have this abilioty to do this voluntarily?
Also, the knowledge of what activates various “switches” in our brain does not mean these will be pathways to true learning and knowledge. I imagine you could induce an addiction to this IF the person has a pre-disposition – be it organic or societal. My personal philosophy is essentially hopeful — humans have “will” and are pliable to beneficial and destructive influence. therefore, I will hazard the hope that force does not engender a true love, just (at best) a blind habit.
IF you want to see an apocalyptic application of this technology, see “The Manchurian Candidate” from the early 60’s with Angela Lansbury and Frank Sinatra. A classic spy thrillerand one of the best made.
The researchers say their findings could have practical applications, such as helping take video games to the next level of virtuality so the players feel as if they are actually inside the game.
I’m sorry, I thought they were going to give a practical application.
1. Bobbo- you blew me away on that one, who’d a thunk it? So what is your ultimate take on the experience? Remote viewing, something the CIA has been involved with for decades, connected?
Imagine what this all can do for the porn industry..!
10–Mark==has to be nothing but brain chemicals.
thats an interesting part about “experience”===no doubt, if I was of “that” type, I’d be running around yelling about what “I personally experienced.” But what I experienced has to be put against the crucible of science.
I don’t believe in the para-normal. As M Mustard would say==my faith is==oops, not atheism, but SCIENCE!!!
Whole school of philosophy about whether, or to what degree, experience is external or internal. Still, I’m glad I had “one” experience. Power stuff that dopamine!!!!
12. Hmmm, chemicals. Science. Paranormal Science? What is science but the discovery of the unkown anyway? Thanks for the response.
The future of Pr0n!
Now if they could just find a way to relocate Dubya into orbit…
I had an out of the body experience once. I took a little too much Darvon because I had a sore tooth. You can always find God through barbiturates.
To me, this whole business of out of body experiences is nothing but thought etc. etc. etc. and pure energy. the whole Universe or whatever is one big bag of energy. I may be all wet when it comes to this, even through my experiences, but to me it all adds up to thought and energy and nothing more!
please, i want to know the praticality of out of the body experience and if you could send me the pratical know how i will be grateful thanks.