Are drug induced experiences real?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of experiences induced by drugs like LSD and whether these experiences can be considered "real." Participants explore the implications of hallucinations, subjective experiences, and the definitions of reality in relation to drug use.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether perceptions during drug use, such as those on LSD, can be classified as "real," suggesting that hallucinations may not exist outside the individual's experience.
  • Others argue that experiences, even if drug-induced, are real to the individual experiencing them, emphasizing the subjective nature of reality.
  • A participant mentions that LSD can enhance awareness of subconscious thoughts, leading to a mix of experiences that may be considered real or not.
  • There is a discussion about the need to define "real," with some suggesting it should be based on physical existence versus brain function.
  • One participant shares personal experiences with LSD, noting that while they did not experience traditional hallucinations, they did perceive distortions and heightened awareness.
  • Another participant draws parallels between drug-induced experiences and those of individuals with mental disorders, suggesting that both can feel very real to the person experiencing them.
  • Concerns are raised about the validity of examples used in the discussion, particularly regarding physical ailments and their recognition by others.
  • Some participants challenge the notion that something is not real until it is validated by an external observer, arguing that personal experiences can be valid regardless of external acknowledgment.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the nature of drug-induced experiences, with multiple competing views on what constitutes "real" and whether subjective experiences can be validated externally.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes unresolved definitions of reality, the subjective nature of experiences, and the implications of drug use on perception. There are also references to medical definitions and the complexities of distinguishing between imagined and physical realities.

  • #31
I don't think I've ever read a philosophy thread on this forum which meets those criteria. Maybe you should take a look at the thread "why does power corrupt?" and lock that. That would be ironic.
Kldickson - did you read any of my posts? I am not talking about "hallucinations" and I even explicitly said that "pink elephants" wouldn't be real. Minds have a nasty way of playing tricks on people whether they are chemically altered or not.
A more realistic example of what someone on drugs might experience is synasthesia. So if I was to hear a colour, is this real or not? Why is it less real than seeing one?
 
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  • #32
I am in the 9th grade.
I try my best.
 
  • #33
Martini started the thread, madness. I was responding to her.

Synesthesia is an altogether different story; that has a biological underpinning. We think that it stems from two sensory regions being more closely wired than usual; 'reality' is not such a good way to express this as in it stimulates one region in your brain in addition to another, but hearing a color is indeed not 'real'. A synesthetic's brain has developed a little differently from a non-synesthetic's; the reason that it is not 'real' is that there is nothing from the colored object that sends sound waves out to stimulate the eardrum, but rather the perception of sound is entirely endogenous.
 
  • #34
madness said:
A more realistic example of what someone on drugs might experience is synasthesia. So if I was to hear a colour, is this real or not? Why is it less real than seeing one?
Then it would be a discussion of sensory misinterpretations caused in the brain of that individual, not that color itself is different.

My older daughter is a synesthete, she sees numbers as colors. That's a problem with her brain, it doesn't change the value of numbers.
 
  • #35
Come back to this question when you're in college, Martini. High school has not given you and will not give you the tools and information necessary to discuss this.
 
  • #36
well, why can't I try?
Obviously, I started a thread which interested all of you.
And I think it's rude of you to say I know nothing because I'm not in college.
 
  • #37
Martini said:
Define reality?
Is there a reality outside of your own mind?


The EPR argument is still the longest and most influential debate on the nature of reality. Bell's theorem heavily points in the direction that Einstein was wrong and the assumption of locality contradicts QM experiments.


Also, would you say hallucinations caused by a mental illness are fake?


I've thought about this in the past. We mainly believe our reality is the right one, because we are the majority and because our 'visions' make sense and let us progress. The other scenario is a no-go.

You have to be careful with phychedelics, i am aware of people going crazy after the visual experience. I have a friend who almost lost his mind when his cat turned into a dog. I asked him how real the visual felt from 1 to 10 and he said 10. This is still the only reason stoppping me from jumping on the DMT bandwagon, i am not 100% sure that i am ready for this, nor do i want to risk even the 1% chance of going insane afterwards.
 
  • #38
But colour doesn't exist physically, only wavelengths do. So if I receive wavelengths corresponding to what people normally perceive as red, but instead hear the note G for example, I don't see how this is less real.
Also my point was that synasthesia is commonly experienced by people under the influence of drugs like LSD.
 
  • #39
madness said:
But colour doesn't exist physically, only wavelengths do. So if I receive wavelengths corresponding to what people normally perceive as red, but instead hear the note G for example, I don't see how this is less real.
Also my point was that synasthesia is commonly experienced by people under the influence of drugs like LSD.
What do you think color is? Just because we call a certain wavelength some descriptive word doesn't change the fact that the wavelength is real.

This thread apparently can't get on topic. And it's not a philosophical debate, it's about the effects of drugs on the brain.

Closed.
 

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