Are our internal worlds as real as the one we see?

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: From the cinematic surrealism of Ken Russell to the clinical isolation tanks of sensory deprivation, altered states of consciousness challenge our definition of reality. Whether induced by chemicals, hypnosis, or profound silence, these experiences suggest that our waking life might only be one layer of human existence.

The concept of 'altered states' spans the spectrum from clinical psychology to experimental art and indigenous ritual. In a 1967 study at Columbia University, psychopathologist Edward Jessup proposed a radical hypothesis: that our alternative states of consciousness are just as real as our waking ones. To test this, he began experimenting with sensory deprivation using flotation tanks—a method later explored by researchers like Arthur Rosenberg and Mason Parrish to observe how the mind reacts when stripped of external input.

While Jessup looked at the science of isolation, others explored the chemistry of perception. The 1980 film 'Altered States,' based on a novel by Paddy Chayefsky, dramatizes this research by depicting experiments involving psychoactive drugs like mescaline, ketamine, and LSD in sensory deprivation tanks. This intersection of science and horror highlights the profound psychological shifts that occur when the brain is forced to generate its own reality without external stimuli.

Beyond technology and chemistry lies the realm of cultural ritual. To induce profound states of memory, Mexico's Hinchi people brew a concoction featuring sinicuiche—a bush dubbed the 'primordial flower'—alongside the holy Amanita muscaria fungus. These ceremonies can induce shared hallucinatory experiences, demonstrating that humanity has long sought ways to navigate the boundaries of consciousness, whether through the clinical precision of a lab or the ancient traditions of a tribe.

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