Consciousness, Altered States of
The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology September 5, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea1942 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Key points | Argues that altered states of consciousness are common yet underexplored by anthropologists, identifying dreaming, contact with the dead, music, poetry, trance, and psychic communication as key areas. |
Abstract
Forms of “altered” consciousness are common in human life yet at the same time (apart from dreams) seldom investigated in depth by anthropologists. The main areas where such states of consciousness have been found, and up to a point studied, are dreaming, including prophetic and creative dreams; sensations of contact of various kinds with and from the dead; the experience of music, poetry and trance; and psychic communication of the kind described by such terms as “telepathy,” “extrasensory perception,” or “nonlocal awareness.”