"Alterations of Consciousness" is an analytic investigation into the nature of cognitive reality. This comprehensive overview of altered states examines consciousness from the physiological, cognitive and experiential points of view.

"Alterations of Consciousness" is an analytic investigation into the nature of cognitive reality. Imants Baruss explores various manifestations of consciousness with rational and empirical rigour beginning with more ordinary states such as thinking, sleeping, dreaming and continuing on into hypnosis, trance, psychedelic experiences, transcendence and experiences related to death. This comprehensive overview of altered states examines consciousness from the physiological, cognitive and experiential points of view. Readers should gain from the engaging text an enriched understanding of consciousness, reality and the scientific endeavour.

Introduction: Consciousness
Beliefs About Consciousness and Reality
The Scientific Study of Consciousness
Overview. Wakefulness: Introspection
Thinking
Daydreaming
Sensory Restriction. Sleep: Sleep Physiology and Behaviour
Sleep Mentation
The Purpose of Sleep
The Neurobiology of Sleep
Sleep Disorders. Dreams: Dream Theories
Dream Content
Lucid Dreaming
Precognitive Dreams. Hypnosis: Hypnotic Phenomena
Hypnotic Susceptibility
Explanations of Hypnosis
Applications of Hypnosis. Trance: Shamanism
Possession
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Alien Abduction Experiences. Psychedelics: Modern Beginnings
Varieties of Psychedelics
Long-Term Effects of Psychedelics
Transcendental Effects of Psychedelics. Transcendence: Variety of Transcendent Experiences
Examples of Spontaneous Transcendence
Meditation
Spiritual Aspiration Explanations of Transcendence. Death: Out-of-Body Experiences
Near-Death Experiences
Past-Life Experiences
The Question of Life After Death. Conclusion: Recapitulation of Thematic Threads
Alternative Explanations of Reality.