Oliver Sacks on 5 Common Types of Hallucinations

Acclaimed neurologist Oliver Sacks spoke to Motherboard in 2012, in this previously unreleased animated excerpt. Read more: motherboard.vic...
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[@EpigeneticAlteration]

His book, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" is one of my favorite books and was required reading in my Neuroscience class.

[@jodawgsup]

+EpigeneticAlteration Was it really? That's quite a surprise, since it's very anecdotal and not pure theory which I expected to be taught in a neuroscience class (I do think it's a good thing though, since it's a wonderful book and really makes you sympathize way more than you usually would). An Anthropologist on Mars is also a wonderful read.

[@EpigeneticAlteration]

+jodawgsup It wasn't meant as a textbook of course. It was in addition to several other texts and our assignment with is was to explain the neurophysiology of the various mental illnesses he discusses in the book. We were required to write a review for each chapter in the book (with a few exceptions when the illness wasn't clear, if I recall correctly). Most of the students in the class were interested in pursuing careers in the medical field so I imagine my professor's intent was to prepare us to empathize with patients were things had gone terribly wrong in the brain.

[@jodawgsup]

EpigeneticAlteration I see, that's great. Thanks for the info :)!

[@aimeemacdn]

One of my favourites too. It's fascinating to try to understand a different kind of reality.

[@z.a8847]

This person inspired me since I was a teenager, I have become a doctor and am starting my Neurology residency in 2017 because of him.

[@shaunapaynter5246]

I have read all of his books and appreciate all that he has said here. Dr. Sacks was an amazing human being!

[@zenmindstate110]

Such a wonderful man who really helped a lot of people understand hallucinations

[@vtroygohokies3230]

May I recommend a great read by Oliver Sacks , On the move. A great self autobiography, a fascinating life Dr Sack. RIP

[@SimplyMyAccount]

rip oliver sacks :(

[@liberty-matrix]

The Eyes see and the Ears hear what the mind believes.

[@musicmakelightning]

What a wonderful world it is, that we shared air and gravity with people like Oliver Sacks. rip, dear man. Now you know if there's life after death, while the rest of us must still guess.

[@motiondude]

Way way too short video

[@Flapjackbatter]

I had one of those lilliputian hallucinations that he talked about. After taking some sleeping-pills. Suddenly the livingroom-table transformed into a map, with terrain-features and a compass-rose. And there were little tanks and little artillery, and trucks with infantry. Two waring fractions. Like army guys but more computer-graphics like. I remember thinkinh "Hmmm. Interesting. And in the middle of the living-room?" Then I came to my self again.

[@Armoredcody]

Game of War lol

[@TiasAhlgreN]

+Flapjackbatter Do you often play video games or watch documentaries and films about war history or something similar?

[@Flapjackbatter]

+◢ тне Scαɴᴅıɴανıαɴ Aтнеısт ◣ Actually, yes. This was in 99 or 2000. And I was playing Panzer General 3D. And I was reading Time/Lifes book series on the 2.nd WW.

[@TiasAhlgreN]

Flapjackbatter Don't you think it's quite interesting that you would have such a hallucination considering your interests at the time? ^;^ For various reasons it's obviously note worthy. Apparently native people of South America and other regions often hallucinate natural beings, and in the West it's very common with science fiction and high tech type of hallucinations. At least much more so common than in any other culture.

[@Genjinai]

+Flapjackbatter That was not a hallucination. You just dreamed and woke up. I bet that your eyes were closed when you saw that even if you don't remember.

[@jonathan5721]

Oliver Sacks was definitely a good man that knew the knowledge of the world. May you R.I.P. Oliver Sacks.

[@Volnues]

you will be missed oliver sacks

[@memomorph5375]

This is such a cool video... this would be great in a health class

[@WishingOfArt]

As a stove this is not accurate. And as a stove I fucking know.

[@grubbymanz3928]

aww my hero. I hope to be half as good, curious, and perceptive a neurologist as he, that would be more than enough.

[@siemarillion4739]

Why are the voices in my head intelligent? How do my thoughts create a unprovable form of life. If I talk to a person in a lucid dream they wake up and can stay awake past me waking up. They speak well despite not being alive for more than a moment and even know my name.

[@infinitepaths]

Didn't know he'd died, what a shame. Really interesting guy and wrote some really interesting books. In one of his books he talks about when he was younger, he prescribed himself morphine and just went to bed and had opiate visions all night thinking only minutes had passed.

[@MikoSquiz]

He also used to squat 600lb, holding the California state record for a time; ride his motorbike at speeds in excess of 140mph; go swimming in lakes for multiple hours at a time; stay awake all weekend taking speed; linger at buffets for three or four hours steadily working through giant portions of everything; and much else besides. He had a remarkable appetite for the world and whatever was to be had in it.

[@danielphilo]

Here is one guy to be missed, great Oliver!

[@oli_kester]

that last point

[@maureenseel118]

Sleep paralysis is terrifying.

[@graveyardgxblin]

I recall experiencing most of these. Most memorable being an outer body experience when taking E. & I remember seeing a small gnome sort of person sat next to me after spending an excessive amount of time playing my play station at the age of about 10. I love it, fascinating.

[@dsouzand]

Loved him on Radio Lab. RIP.

[@lazylion420]

omg this is WAY too short. what the hell Vice? did you spend exactly 6 minutes with him and just leave?

[@apeykid69]

thank you ;)

[@tossigetotte12]

Heard his voice many times on Radiolab but this is the first time I see his face.

[@kariwattsup]

I love the way he talks about near death experience hallucinations. My dad had a bad accident building a container crane much horrific dragging by I'll coiled cable, dragging him at however fast they pull... 30mph? Then to look up as your legs are bound and almost amputated by this hugely thicker gagged cable wrapped around you legs, to see a 750 or more pound magnet dropped on his body, he was twisted and covered his sternum. He says he died. I am a light worker, a body worker... A practitioner... 8 asked him about his accident while working on him a few years ago, the accident was almost 40 years ago... I believe he had hallucinated death in order to deal with the pain. Pain is based in fear. He is a brave and strong man. 💚 I will not take away his experience because I'm only highly empathic and intuitive. I also know the mind has an unbelievable way and will to survive. He hadn't lived yet. Even with a beautiful wife and two kids. Bless his courage to finally leave us and find himself. Because he took a lot of that not knowing out on me. And I love him for knowing I could take it. 8 somehow knew all of the beatings were him hurting and not being able to deal. Now we have crossed many bridges since then because his bravery passed on. But I don't have kids because i love them so much.

[@smokedouttutorials3487]

just because you cant tap into that place doesn't mean it isn't real.

[@cawicker3410]

I didn't have the revelation everyone doesn't see visuals all the time into my mid 30s. Never fear. Enjoy As the ancient egyptians said, if it doesn't have a shadow, it's not of this world and can't hurt you.

[@00DonutDude]

Why was this not released earlier?

[@MySerpentine]

Always fun to think about how the whole world could be one's imagination. And by fun I mean an existential nightmare.

[@PUPIMUMIP]

nice, but I tought is was going to talk about LSD and Mushroom's

[@Armoredcody]

this is the educated class. Not the escape free class.

[@Americansikkunt]

+Armoredcody what is "escape free class?

[@okdigital151]

+PUPIMUMIP more to this than just boshing drugs young raver

[@nielkofficial6538]

+PUPIMUMIP read his book on halluciantions. there he writes about his experience with drugs. also, Charles Baudelaire's "Artificial Paradise" is a nice piece of literature on opium

[@tektitetv]

Everything we consciously perceive be it physical or imagined, is merely a collection of neurons firing in our brain. Light, sound, temperature, color, smell, pressure, etc. is a bunch of information our body takes in, and our perception of things is processed by the brain. It's a miracle we all don't hallucinate every day.

[@r7calvin]

Evolutionarily, it would be disadvantageous to be constantly hallucinating, but our perceptions are often distorted/internally-fabricated-much more so than we believe them to be. Often, our minds fill in the blanks where our senses leave gaps. For instance, our eye blinks are largely imperceptible to us. Likewise, the punctum caecum, or our physiological blind spot (caused by where our optic nerves pass through the optic disc) is concealed from us by our minds (by extrapolating visual data and our mental model of our surroundings).

[@user-jt5ot4hy9q]

Don't get chained to your brain. Consciousness is more than just the here and now.

[@JayVBear45]

So sad that he passed away this year. Musicophilia is one of my favorite books.

[@JollyJoel]

6:16 Hear hear!

[@JollyJoel]

***** He's not talking about taking drugs to have fun, he's talking about people who try to explain reality through spirituality when there is absolutely no concept of it being true. Removes a person from the real world.

[@iinRez]

+Jolly Joel However when you are a spiritual person you see the two (Nature, and Ethereal) are completely relative and one in the same, it puts things into perspective it does not dilute reality. When you are "hallucinating" under the influence of naturally occurring substances everything feels symbiotic, and judging by the physical observations we learn in biology that have proven nature to be symbiotic, it suggests that this "hallucinatory state of being" is more than an imagined consciousness but more so an increased level of awareness. You can theorize about water temperature but never will you have a grasp of what it truly is, until you have actually felt the effects of different temperatures. *Ultimately it comes down to this, if you haven't willingly, objectively experienced the natural chemicals that induce these "spiritual visions" or "hallucinations" then you are seriously lacking a large amount of data on the subject, and therefore know too little to achieve truly objective conclusions or theories about the phenomenon.* That is facile and non scientific. You cannot derive accuracy purely from other peoples interpretations and not test the data for your self. Scientists do not practice the scientific method when it comes to peer review of the supposed "spiritual realms" induced by psychedelics they merely invalidate anything that contradicts their text book education without actually delving into the phenomenon. Graham Hancock is an excellent source of info on this topic as he has a PhD science education and has willingly dabbled in psychedelics with an objective, scientific perspective.

[@JollyJoel]

iinRez I always dislike people's comments that mention the typical scientist is delusional and/or very narrow minded... "but this one scientist knows best"... -.- You don't choose the scientist that best fit your views on the world. You don't come to a final conclusion, then seek the evidence to support it. If you do these things then that's not science. The only Graham Hancock I found was is a British writer and journalist. "Hancock specializes in unconventional theories. His work has been rejected by many scientists as an example of pseudoarchaeology." Where is this guy's Doctorate degree? Are we talking about the same guy? When you said "it puts things into perspective it does not dilute reality." You do realize there's more than one perspective right, and some are better than others? Is it not a noble goal to constantly make sure you have a better perspective? It doesn't matter because you're talking about a chemical perspective which you don't need drugs to do. You can find a chemical reaction AKA Emotion Connection to a specific perspective which is why I'm sticking with the Richard Feynman, Carl Sagan, Neil Degrasse Tyson perspective which is very optimistic for lack of a better word "spiritual" for nature and the knowledge we have of it. But spiritual isn't the correct word because apart of it is the complete and total rejection of all supernatural anything. Do I have the wrong perspective that best views the world for what it really is? Of course I do, and you do too. You know how I know? Because Humans cannot in any way, shape, or form have the absolute perfect perspective of our universe. Not only are our brains not evolved to understand it, it is literally impossible for it to evolve to have a perspective needed to fully understand our universe. That said, there are perspectives that are better than others. You don't do drugs and hallucinate and drive, or fire guns at your enemy, or perform surgery, or do all fields of experiments for science. Go ahead and ask yourself "Why?". Because the perspective of drug induced hallucination is artificial and nature gave us our conscience for a reason. People can also fuck that up without drugs, very few people need artificial chemicals to have a better perspective, and when people do have to take artificial chemicals, those chemicals are designed to help balance our natural chemicals out. If that's too much for you to take in, TL:DR Spirituality is for people "who don't get it" and drug induced Spirituality is the same thing.

[@iinRez]

Jolly Joel Man all I can say is you have to delve into this realm for your self, otherwise your concluding things based on incomplete information.

[@JollyJoel]

iinRez All I'm doing is emphasizing on Oliver Sacks points which is belief in the Super Natural is way more then what is needed to think about the universe. Just because you don't "FEEL" the answer when it is presented to you, doesn't mean it's not real. Evidence means it's real and if there's evidence for the "supernatural" then it's not longer super natural. It becomes natural and real. So when I see people believing in the Supernatural because some how "they" noticed it and scientist didn't. I laugh, it's laughable to say the least, but when it comes down to it, it is also very anti-progressive when it comes to finding the truth. So it makes me frustrated that people "just don't fuckin' get it." You're the one implying that people need spirituality to have a better perspective. It isn't my job to experiment and prove you right/wrong. I'm not going around and saying you should watch Carl Sagan's Cosmos because that's where I got my perspective from and I would happily choose this perspective over anything. Carl Sagan was also a pot head and so am I, not everyone is, so Carl Sagan's Cosmos probably wont work for everyone. Not saying that it only works for pot heads, Over 400 million people watch Carl Sagan's Cosmos.

[@Genjinai]

You want to experience hallucinations old man? Take some LSD...

[@uppost2674]

You go to a haunted place and tell me then if you are hallucinating. There is a world of the unseen, these are spirits, who once were real people. Don't listen to this man, he thinks he knows it all. But he can't explain haunted places, that do exist. Once you die, you become a spirit, a ghost. I wish this guy went to a real haunted place with unseen spirits of individuals who were once alive and then tell me if he's hallucinating, there are good spirits and evil ones. If you book to go to a haunted place, he would say i felt a presence or someone talked to him up close but he couldn't see who it was, or someone beat him or threw something at him but he thought he was alone in the room, or he felt a hand run through his hair. This guy doesn't understand spirits, or who we really are. He just knows books. Don't listen to this man, he knows nothing between the world of hallucination and the spirit world, those two are different and they do exist. But he can't stand there and say that, he is sure that there are no spiritual beings around us. Never listen to people like him. Do your own research, find the truth for yourself, don't let another man tell you nothing you know about and think it's true. Always find you own truth, you are capable!

[@patar1000]

whoever did the animation for this man is insulting.

[@OrbisTertiusBooks]

He was the cutest coolest scientist ever, i can listen to him and read his books all day long. He is my inspiration to go into neurology ✌🏻

[@MusicHead480]

That's a good way to end it

[@GildaLee27]

A great mind and a wonderful writer, but wrong on near-death experiences. Corpses cannot have hallucinations, to put it bluntly. There has been significant research since Sacks' death on this, and while there is plenty more research to be done, it is clear that when humans die and are resuscitated, about 20% of the time they remain conscious and able to perceive ongoing events which can be verified by others.

[@DavidOnTheRoadGuitars]

I wonder if the Thomas Edison machine could communicate with him now and he would say it's not me it's a hallucination ...ha ha poor guy. what a conundrum.

[@seebeearr600]

I thought this dude was a Will Farrell character when I saw the thumbnail.

[@seebeearr600]

***** the one where hes in a hot tub with that little rat looking girl on snl and they talk about their passionate love making while jimmy fallon giggles like the little bitch that he is

[@Bluudclaat]

The problem with Oliver Sachs is that he isn't familiar with the works of Carl Jung. This guys is like the empirical Jung, and makes so much more sense when put in that context. Without Jung he's like a blind man feeling around in the dark. It's still interesting either way.

[@okdigital151]

His closing statement is spot on imo

[@ellis4170]

There should be a script added to the comments. What O. Sacks says throughout this video broadcast is quite inspiring, and should be available in a written format.

[@Casey5693]

They need to do a video interviewing Steven Hawking and explaining his ideas with animation. These animations are helpful.

[@Rodsupremos]

But where did this guys' right eye go?

[@weinerdog137]

what if there is a push/pull interconnection between everyday reality and the "ethereal" the ultimate chicken or the egg relationship? one does not exist without interacting with the other. maybe a simple minded question in light of the horsepower that exists on this branch.

[@positivitynest695]

Where is the book that explains the demons in physiological and psychological terms rather than spiritual terms. I would buy that book. Is it the mental health book or is that not it?

[@MrQcrepresent]

that guy is very far on the skeptical scientific scale. I guess the true is somewhere between. I believe in E.T even if yes, there is a lot of crazy people into it.

[@Casey5693]

I do not agree that all supernatural phenomena are hallucinations, but I have to admit that his ideas are interesting.

[@Wilpsn]

Broriosity: Oliver Sacks could squat 600 pounds

[@VincentProchoroff]

RIP

[@blah87241]

I have always wished he was my granddaddy. RIP Professor Sacks

[@ncmartinez_his]

At about 6:01 he states a wish. I suspect that his wish was granted. I only hope that he eventually came to his senses before his passing and repented of his disbelief. (Also: Isn't "Jewish Athiest" an oxymoron? Like "Christian Athiest"? ... and before you climb all over my question... I was raised as an Athiest, and according to some, I am Jewish.)

[@madulowis]

+Neil Martinez Well you can have jewish history/family and be an athiest at the same time.

[@AmberAmber]

Neil Martinez Judaism is a tribal ethnicity as well as a religion. I'm tribally Jewish but an Atheist religiously.

[@Inertia888]

It's good to see Dr. Sacks getting more media attention.

[@teneshaperry3090]

so what does it mean when you see it from the in side

[@Elnatedawg]

I took shrooms a few months back for the first time and had the worst trip. I took 3.5g. The stomach pain and the level of paranoia was so fucked up I thought I shit myself several times. Never again

[@Fumfig]

I feel real sorry for you man. The first time makes or breaks it tbh and I doubt you'll ever be able to have a good experience on shrooms if your first time wasn't.

[@Elnatedawg]

+Fumfig yea like I said never again. It was just too extreme for me. I'll stick with my weed

[@Fumfig]

+Nathan Sifuentez That's so sad. I'm not saying you should try again because obviously you had a bad time and its not worth risking it again, bad trips are fucking bad, but its a real shame that you'll never get to experience the best of shrooms. there's nothing better than getting completely messed up then coming down and smoking a joint or two after an awesome experience.

[@Elnatedawg]

Yea the reason I tried it was because I heard so many good things about it. Do you think 3.5g's was too much or no? How much did you take your first time?

[@Fumfig]

+Nathan Sifuentez First time I only did 2.5g so maybe 3.5g was a bit too much. if you've been smoking weed for a long time then suddenly move to psychedelics you're bound to have an ego crush. I remember mine so bad when I dropped acid. I'd only ever smoked weed and done some stimulants and I thought "yeah I'm a pretty experienced guy I'm sure I can handle tripping out". Four hours later I had an ego crush so bad it permanently changed my perspective on life. You just can't prepare for the first time you trip. It's always gonna freak you out.

[@RonHoward2008]

Don't watch this when you're high.

[@Biblical-christian]

music is not good

[@AliMoeeny]

Hey we need more, where is the rest, please

[@ShaianKhondaker]

I thought he was Steve Jobs......

[@cipollo205]

Hi

[@ravyntaylor6982]

RIP

[@TheOneArmadillo]

I liked what he said in the ending.

[@calebrichardson9573]

RIP

[@edgardoamado7008]

Farewell Dr. !

[@mapweber2890]

what about NDE?

[@123G-r4d]

that was great

[@user-sl2gj3pb4g]

RIP

[@HG-ov1cy]

im first noobs

[@HM-ph4nc]

+Henry Jesus Gonzalez Reyes nah man you're just hallucinating

[@HG-ov1cy]

+Hunter Dobson lol

[@HG-ov1cy]

+Hunter Dobson. that was good one considering the video tittle

[@phillipbarrios863]

he needs to try dmt

[@shitmonk7498]

Its really funny, until you practice remote viewing and developing psychic ability for your self, the mystery of hallucinations will never fully be uncovered for the masses. I like his finishing point however, but such realms are very real, and so are human capabilities- last year I was able to focus onto any person with a photograph and successfully describe all their surroundings and further information regarding them. One day the two extremes of spiritual and physical will meet: )

[@theelderscrollsfreak]

sdf

[@corybeatbox5504]

How can he be a Jew and an Atheist? I thought you had smart people as guests. Not impressed...

[@friedrichschopenhauer2900]

Cory Beatbox That is basically the same as saying that he's a "cultural Jew"; Jews are an ethnoreligious group, not merely those of a common faith.

[@corybeatbox5504]

So a Ethiopian Jew and a Ukrainian Jew share the same ethnicity? Smells like a another classic Zionist double talk! Not all Jews share the same ethnic past nor do all Jews practice the same variation of Judaism. "cultural jew" LMAO!!! What a pile of shit! You must be a zionist or Israeli. Fuck Israel!!!!

[@seebeearr600]

First, sucks

[@HG-ov1cy]

first

[@getphuked2]

just another mouth piece for the CORPORATION.

[@VittamarFasuthAkbin]

seriously? What corporation?