Hypnosis And The Unity Of Consciousness
Hypnosis and Conscious States: The Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective January 18, 2007 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198569794.003.0006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that hypnosis produces alterations in the contents of consciousness, including hallucinations and changes in agency, and that it also alters the structure of consciousness, supporting the claim that the unity of consciousness is an illusion. |
Abstract
Abstract Hypnosis appears to generate unusual—and sometimes even astonishing—changes in the contents of consciousness. Hypnotic subjects report perceiving things that are not there, they report not perceiving things that are there, and they report unusual alterations in the phenomenology of agency. In addition to apparent alterations in the contents of consciousness, hypnosis also appears to involve alterations in the structure of consciousness. According to many theorists—most notably Hilgard—hypnosis demonstrates that the unity of consciousness is an illusion (Hilgard 1977).