Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

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LSD
Before this week’s lectures, I never gave any thought to the idea of hallucinogenic drugs as an art experience and a potential psychological cure. This week, I gained an insight into the history of mind-altering drugs and its importance in the investigation of the mind. Albert Hofmann introduced the hallucinogenic drug LSD and paved the path for its use as a cure to different psychiatric disorders. Hofmann described his experience on LSD as this vibrant and stimulating encounter, but he also experienced the dark side of it where he thought he was going insane and his reality was becoming distorted. After checking in with the doctor and seeing no physical change, he embraced the drug and began to enjoy the unique colors, shapes, and images.
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CIA experiments with mind control 


Psychedelic drugs, like LSD, transform one’s perception and awareness. Scientists began to use it to understand schizophrenia as it enables humans to
unlock parts of their mind that they are not familiar with. Humphrey Osmond and Al Hubbard experimented with the use of LSD as a psychotherapeutic cure for alcoholics and it resulted in half of the subjects staying away from alcohol for a year. Furthermore, scientists have conducted extensive experiments on mind control using these mind-altering drugs. The CIA’s top secret project called MKULTRA tested unsuspecting subjects and tried using LSD in order to manipulate their state of mind. It was very controversial when it was known to the public and they ultimately concluded that the variation of effects on different people too broad to be developed further.


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Exploring your mind
The mind and consciousness are fascinating subjects to explore because it seems so inconsequential, but the magnitude of its capabilities are far-reaching and are continuously being discovered. As we have learned through lectures, the mind is complex and its many facets have yet to be known. The mind is so powerful and the thought of being able to harness that power is scary yet intriguing. The practice of lucid dreaming is enticing as it allows you to explore your own mind, but being able to control other people’s mind can be dangerous.




“Albert Hofmann.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Hofmann.
Editors, History.com. “MK-Ultra.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 June 2017, www.history.com/topics/us-government/history-of-mk-ultra.
Martin, Douglas. “Humphry Osmond, 86, Who Sought Medicinal Value in Psychedelic Drugs, Dies.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 22 Feb. 2004, www.nytimes.com/2004/02/22/us/humphry-osmond-86-who-sought-medicinal-value-in-psychedelic-drugs-dies.html.
Online, UC. “Neuroscience pt3.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5EX75xoBJ0.
Online, UC. “Neuroscience-pt2.Mov.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFv4owX3MZo.

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