The intimacy of psychedelics, language, and consciousness.
Jeremy I Skipper, George Fejer, Matthieu Koroma, Leor Roseman
May 2, 2024 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/m52t3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Interview |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness Psychoanalysis |
| Key points | Language is generative for consciousness, not merely a reporting tool, with parallels between aphasia and psychedelic states involving dissolution of linguistic categories. |
Abstract
This interview explores the intimate relationship between language and consciousness, drawing insights from aphasia phenomenology, psychedelic experiences, and neuroscientific theories. Jeremy I. Skipper, a cognitive neuroscientist, argues that language is not merely a tool for reporting conscious experiences but plays a generative role in shaping and sustaining consciousness itself. He critiques localizationist models of language processing, emphasizing the context-dependence and dynamic recruitment of brain regions. Parallels are drawn between the experiences of aphasic patients, who report a loss of self-narrative and increased connectedness, and the phenomenology of psychedelic states, which often involve a dissolution of linguistic categories and a sense of ineffability. Skipper outlines potential neural mechanisms linking language disruption to psychedelic experiences and discusses the UNITy Project, aimed in part at studying post-acute meaning-making processes and predicting changes in language and well-being after psychedelic sessions.