Alterations of Consciousness
An Empirical Analysis for Social Scientists
Published on 1. January 2003
Book
Hardback
312 pages
978-1-55798-993-2 (ISBN)
Description
"Alterations of Consciousness" is an analytic investigation into the nature of cognitive reality. Imants Baruss explores various manifestations of consciousness with rational and empirical rigour beginning with more ordinary states such as thinking, sleeping, dreaming and continuing on into hypnosis, trance, psychedelic experiences, transcendence and experiences related to death. This comprehensive overview of altered states examines consciousness from the physiological, cognitive and experiential points of view. Readers should gain from the engaging text an enriched understanding of consciousness, reality and the scientific endeavour.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Washington DC
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Weight
798 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-55798-993-2 (9781557989932)
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Schweitzer Classification
Content
Introduction: Consciousness; Beliefs About Consciousness and Reality; The Scientific Study of Consciousness; Overview. Wakefulness: Introspection; Thinking; Daydreaming; Sensory Restriction. Sleep: Sleep Physiology and Behaviour; Sleep Mentation; The Purpose of Sleep; The Neurobiology of Sleep; Sleep Disorders. Dreams: Dream Theories; Dream Content; Lucid Dreaming; Precognitive Dreams. Hypnosis: Hypnotic Phenomena; Hypnotic Susceptibility; Explanations of Hypnosis; Applications of Hypnosis. Trance: Shamanism; Possession; Dissociative Identity Disorder; Alien Abduction Experiences. Psychedelics: Modern Beginnings; Varieties of Psychedelics; Long-Term Effects of Psychedelics; Transcendental Effects of Psychedelics. Transcendence: Variety of Transcendent Experiences; Examples of Spontaneous Transcendence; Meditation; Spiritual Aspiration Explanations of Transcendence. Death: Out-of-Body Experiences; Near-Death Experiences; Past-Life Experiences; The Question of Life After Death. Conclusion: Recapitulation of Thematic Threads; Alternative Explanations of Reality.