Conciousness Expanded

Many kinds of human states of consciousness have been distinguished, including colourful or anomalous experiences that are felt to have spiritual significance by most people who have them. The neurosciences have isolated brain-state correlates for some of these colourful states of consciousness, thereby strengthening the hypothesis that these experiences are mediated by the brain. This result both challenges metaphysically dualist accounts of human nature and suggests that any adequate causal explanation of colourful experiences would have to make detailed reference to the evolutionary and genetic conditions that give rise to brains capable of such conscious phenomena. This paper quickly surveys types of conscious states and neurological interpretations of them. In order to deal with the question of the significance of such experiences, the paper then attempts to identify evolutionary and genetic constraints on proposals for causal explanations of such experiences. The conclusion is that a properly sensitive evolutionary account of human consciousness supports a rebuttal of the argument that the cognitive content of colourful experiences is pure delusion, but that this evolutionary account also heavily constrains what might be inferred theologically from such experiences. They are not necessarily delusory, therefore, but they are often highly misleading. Their significance must be construed consistently with this conclusion.

Experiences of a backwoods preacher, or, Facts and incidents culled from thirty years ministerial life / by Joseph H. Hilts.

http://www.archive.org/details/experiencesofab00hiltuoft

By Eskimo dog-sled and kayak a description of a missionary's experiences and adventures in Labrador

http://www.archive.org/details/byeskimodogsledk00huttuoft

Participant experiences in a breastmilk biomonitoring study: A qualitative assessment.

BACKGROUND: Biomonitoring studies can provide information about individual and population-wide exposure. However they must be designed in a way that protects the rights and welfare of participants. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted as a follow-up to a breastmilk biomonitoring study. The primary objectives were to assess participants' experiences in the study, including the report-back of individual body burden results, and to determine if participation in the study negatively affected breastfeeding rates or duration. METHODS: Participants of the Greater Boston PBDE Breastmilk Biomonitoring Study were contacted and asked about their experiences in the study: the impact of study recruitment materials on attitudes towards breastfeeding; if participants had wanted individual biomonitoring results; if the protocol by which individual results were distributed met participants' needs; and the impact of individual results on attitudes towards breastfeeding. RESULTS: No participants reported reducing the duration of breastfeeding because of the biomonitoring study, but some responses suggested that breastmilk biomonitoring studies have the potential to raise anxieties about breastfeeding. Almost all participants wished to obtain individual results. Although several reported some concern about individual body burden, none reported reducing the duration of breastfeeding because of biomonitoring results. The study literature and report-back method were found to mitigate potential negative impacts. CONCLUSION: Biomonitoring study design, including clear communication about the benefits of breastfeeding and the manner in which individual results are distributed, can prevent negative impacts of biomonitoring on breastfeeding. Adoption of more specific standards for biomonitoring studies and continued study of risk communication issues related to biomonitoring will help protect participants from harm.