The Phenomenology of Voice-Hearing and Two Concepts of Voice
Voices in Psychosis September 8, 2022 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780192898388.003.0015
Summary
People who hear voices often describe them as distinct agents rather than mere sounds. This chapter argues that the word 'voice' can refer to either a speech sound or a specific agent, and explores how these two concepts relate in the context of voice-hearing.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The word 'voice' can express two different concepts—a speech sound or a specific agent—and these concepts are related in the context of voice-hearing. |
Abstract
Abstract The experiences described in the Voices in Psychosis transcripts are incredibly varied and yet frequently explicitly labelled by participants as ‘voices’. How can we make sense of this? If we reflect carefully on uses of the word ‘voice’, we see that it can express at least two entirely different concepts, which pick out categorically different phenomena. One concept picks out a speech sound (e.g. ‘This synthesizer has a “voice” setting’). Another concept picks out a specific agent (e.g. ‘I hear two voices: one is a ten-year-old boy . . .’). This chapter explores how these two concepts are related to each other in the context of voice-hearing.