Highly intelligent Quote by Michael Shermer
““Neuroscientist David Comings drew out the larger implications of such hallucinations for the relationship between our rational and spiritual brains: The psychedelic drugs like DMT often produce a sensation of “contact,” of being in the presence of and interaction with a non-human being. Highly intelligent and sophisticated test subjects who knew these feelings were drug-induced nevertheless insisted the contact had really happened. The temporal lobe-limbic system’s emotional tape recorder sometimes cannot distinguish between externally generated real events and internally generated non-real experience thus providing a system in which the rational brain and the spiritual brain are not necessarily in conflict.””
About This Quote
Psychedelic experiences can feel real, blurring the line between rational and spiritual brain processes, but this does not prove actual external contact.
In simple terms: Hallucinations feel real but are brain‑generated.
Key Takeaway
Question the nature of perceived reality.
Themes
neuroscience
psychedelics
consciousness
spirituality
perception
Mood
inquisitive
analytical
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- research studies
- personal introspection
Key Concepts
brain chemistry
subjective experience
reality testing
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria distinguish real from drug‑induced experiences?
- Can rational analysis coexist with spiritual feelings?
A Different Perspective
Hallucinations are not evidence of other entities.
![“[About Pierre de Fermat] It cannot be denied that he has had many exceptional ideas, and that he is a highly intelligent man. For my part, however, I have always been taught to take a broad overview of things, in order to be able to deduce from them general rules, which might be applicable…” quote by Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/588/ren-descartes-1376_able_about-pierre-de-fermat-it-cannot-be-deni_89929.jpg)
