Between traditional folklore and modern biology, the wild forest floor and the sterile scientific laboratory, lies the story of the lilliputian mushroom.
*Susan Blackmore, a psychologist based in Bristol, UK, is also reluctant to give up on the theory just yet. She has firsthand experience of Persinger’s methods. “When I went to Persinger’s lab and underwent his procedures I had the most extraordinary experiences I’ve ever had,” she says. “I’ll be surprised if it turns out to be a placebo effect.”
She too thinks that the Swedish researchers may have used magnetic fields that varied subtly from those of Persinger. “But double-blind experiments will ultimately give us the final answer,” she says.*
Persinger’s work was reproduced in 2014.
Tinoca, Carlos A; Ortiz, João PL (2014). “Magnetic stimulation of the temporal cortex: a partial “God helmet” replication study”. Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research. 5 (3): 234–257.
The only “controversy” was a single Swedish group who did not follow the same protocol (why?) then claimed it was not reproducible.
Persinger’s work triggered a lot of religious people. He died in 2018. His central theory is that humans evolved a part of brain to deal with their own mortality when they evolved a certain level of intelligence.
You mean the only attempt to recreate it failed. Only one group has shown these results. The results are not universally accepted, and indeed are contested by a second group. That is not established science, it’s still a subject of considerable research. You certainly can’t walk into a commercial clinic and order a religious experience like I’m certain you could if this were nailed down.
This is not yet established science. See, eg, https://www.bioedonline.org/news/nature-news-archive/electrical-brainstorms-busted-source-ghosts/
Did you read that?
*Susan Blackmore, a psychologist based in Bristol, UK, is also reluctant to give up on the theory just yet. She has firsthand experience of Persinger’s methods. “When I went to Persinger’s lab and underwent his procedures I had the most extraordinary experiences I’ve ever had,” she says. “I’ll be surprised if it turns out to be a placebo effect.”
She too thinks that the Swedish researchers may have used magnetic fields that varied subtly from those of Persinger. “But double-blind experiments will ultimately give us the final answer,” she says.*
Persinger’s work was reproduced in 2014.
Tinoca, Carlos A; Ortiz, João PL (2014). “Magnetic stimulation of the temporal cortex: a partial “God helmet” replication study”. Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research. 5 (3): 234–257.
The only “controversy” was a single Swedish group who did not follow the same protocol (why?) then claimed it was not reproducible. Persinger’s work triggered a lot of religious people. He died in 2018. His central theory is that humans evolved a part of brain to deal with their own mortality when they evolved a certain level of intelligence.
You mean the only attempt to recreate it failed. Only one group has shown these results. The results are not universally accepted, and indeed are contested by a second group. That is not established science, it’s still a subject of considerable research. You certainly can’t walk into a commercial clinic and order a religious experience like I’m certain you could if this were nailed down.