Perception of predeterminism
Feelings of predeterminism can be described as a suppression of the feeling that our internal narrative possesses "free will". This sudden change creates the perspective that all events, including human actions, are established or decided in advance by prior causes. It is often interpreted by those who undergo it as if it has revealed the concepts of free will and choice as entirely illusory.
This is an effect which can be spontaneously triggered and felt through a distinct change in thought processes. In terms of how it feels, this revelation is not a result of cognitive insight leading one onto a realization but instead occurs through a forced and sudden change in perspective. This creates the undeniable sensation that one's personal choices, physical actions, current situational perspective, and the very subject matter of their thought stream has always been completely predetermined by prior causes and are therefore outside of conscious control. Instead of feeling as if they are dictated by free will, one's thoughts and decision-making processes become suddenly felt as a vast and complex set of internally stored, instantly decided, pre-programmed, and completely autonomous chemical and mechanistic responses to perceived sensory input.
Once the offset of the experience begins to take its toll, the subject will return to feelings of freedom and independence. Despite this, however, they will usually retain information and realizations regarding what is often interpreted as a profound insight into the illusory nature of free will.
Psychoactive substances
Compounds within our psychoactive substance index which may cause this effect include:
Experience reports
Anecdotal reports which describe this effect within our experience index include:
- Experience:150mg MDMA + 20mg 2C-B - I designed it this way myself
- Experience:17mg 3-MeO-PCP & Cannabis oil - Terrifying confusion
- Experience:20mg (insufflated) - permanent all-encompassing states of unity and interconnectedness
- Experience:225ug LSD + 9g cubensis - Galactic Melt and the Meverse
- Experience:3 Grams of Mushrooms - Reset on my Life, Experiencing Satori and the Cosmic Perspective
- Experience:300mg Cannabis Unity
See also
- Responsible use
- Sam Harris on free will video lecture
- Consciousness has less control than believed, according to new theory
- Subjective effects index
- Psychedelics - Subjective effects
- Dissociatives - Subjective effects
- Deliriants - Subjective effects