Hypnosis, Free Will, and Consciousness.
The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis January 1, 2024 Peter L N Naish 2 citations
Hypnosis is sometimes called an altered state of consciousness, but the paper questions what unaltered consciousness is. It argues that free will is an illusion, so it should not be present in the waking state; thus hypnosis may be a more accurate state of consciousness. The sense of free will arises from an experience of agency, which is often absent in hypnosis. The paper discusses how hypnotic, illusory perceptions develop but notes that these processes do not clarify the hard problem of consciousness. It concludes by evaluating the possibility that phenomenal consciousness involves feedback loops that turn simple stimulus registration into aware experiences.