A Typology for Identifying Digitally-Induced Altered States of Consciousness Through Input Discrepancy

Digital technologies increasingly shape human consciousness by inducing experiences like dreams, transcendental states, or derealisation. Devices such as brain-stimulating magnets and biofeedback-based VR headsets form a new class of technology already used in medicine and art, but their full potential remains unrealized. Researchers must use alternative strategies, including speculative or fictional narratives, to explore how this phenomenon might evolve. This work proposes conceptualizing altered states of consciousness through the relationship between external input and processor, offering "discrepancy of input" as a flexible criterion for identifying digitally-induced altered states. The criterion is demonstrated with examples from science fiction.

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Abstract

The development of digital technologies leads to new types of relationships between the digital world and human consciousness, increasingly inducing or influencing specific types of experiences, such as dreams, transcendental experiences, or derealisation. The varied devices used to induce these experiences, from brain-stimulating magnets to biofeedback-based VR headsets, constitute a new class of digital technologies. They are already starting to be utilised in various spheres of life from medicine to art. However, the full potential of technologies is only beginning to be revealed and implementations are somewhat limited; accordingly, researchers in the field must use alternative strategies when investigating the potential evolution of this phenomenon. Making use of speculative or fictional narratives is one productive approach. Finding relevant technologies within narratives has some challenges and requires a more specific criterion for defining this phenomenon. This work in progress suggests the conceptualization of altered states of consciousness (ASC) through the lens of the relationship between external input and processor as a practical strategy for identifying digitally-induced altered states of consciousness (DIAL). It provides "discrepancy of input" as a flexible navigational criterion that will help include unknown technologies into the discussion about altered states of consciousness. The implementation of the criterion is demonstrated in specific examples of identification technologies from sci-fi worlds.