Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Zenaphobe · 07-19-2002, 06:52 PM

O.K., I have a very weird question and dont know where else to ask it.

I would like to know if anyone here has any idea what would happen if a blind person was to ingest LSD or another hallucinogens.

Is it possible they could have "visions" even if they have never seen anything with their physical eyes?

The question is for some research I am doing, I am not supplying drugs to blind people.

WinAce · 07-20-2002, 05:34 AM

I'm unaware of any specific research applicable to you, but I think there's nothing that contradicts LSD producing 'visions' in the blind. After all, if it can affect the parts of the brain responsible for vision without actually supplying stimuli to the eye in normal people...

philechat · 07-20-2002, 06:06 AM

It probably depends on whether the person is born blind or blind later in life. The effect of LSD should be similar to dreaming in humans.

Dream studies show that people who are born blind had no "vision" in dreams, only sounds and scents. On the other hand, people who are blind later in life could still "see" things in dreams.

abe smith · 07-22-2002, 05:05 AM

Yeah, fascinating subject. Cf. a recent article, in SA, or possibly that pop psych monthly, about contemporary USA guy , born blind then later as an adult (surgically) given some vision. Cf. also the NT gospel anecdotes about Jesus's miraculous(alleged) giving sight to one or more blind guys. (The most detailed and eensyteensily persuasive of these is in JOHN, I think; could be LUKE, tho...) The gospel anecdotes reveal the high IMPROBABILITY that the stories are "TRUE", because vision doesn't happen instantaneously like-that: it has to be learned. (My note here is tangential to your original post, sure.) Abe

07-19-2002, 06:52 PM	#1
Zenaphobe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: In the NC trailer park Posts: 6,631	Hallucinogens and blindness O.K., I have a very weird question and dont know where else to ask it. I would like to know if anyone here has any idea what would happen if a blind person was to ingest LSD or another hallucinogens. Is it possible they could have "visions" even if they have never seen anything with their physical eyes? The question is for some research I am doing, I am not supplying drugs to blind people.

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07-20-2002, 05:34 AM	#2
WinAce Beloved Deceased Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Carrboro, NC Posts: 1,539	I'm unaware of any specific research applicable to you, but I think there's nothing that contradicts LSD producing 'visions' in the blind. After all, if it can affect the parts of the brain responsible for vision without actually supplying stimuli to the eye in normal people...

07-20-2002, 06:06 AM	#3
philechat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Mind of the Other Posts: 886	It probably depends on whether the person is born blind or blind later in life. The effect of LSD should be similar to dreaming in humans. Dream studies show that people who are born blind had no "vision" in dreams, only sounds and scents. On the other hand, people who are blind later in life could still "see" things in dreams.

07-22-2002, 05:05 AM	#4
abe smith Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: springfield, MA. USA Posts: 2,482	Yeah, fascinating subject. Cf. a recent article, in SA, or possibly that pop psych monthly, about contemporary USA guy , born blind then later as an adult (surgically) given some vision. Cf. also the NT gospel anecdotes about Jesus's miraculous(alleged) giving sight to one or more blind guys. (The most detailed and eensyteensily persuasive of these is in JOHN, I think; could be LUKE, tho...) The gospel anecdotes reveal the high IMPROBABILITY that the stories are "TRUE", because vision doesn't happen instantaneously like-that: it has to be learned. (My note here is tangential to your original post, sure.) Abe

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