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The Wisdom of Psychopaths
In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a...
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In the 1922 poem The Waste Land, T. S. Eliot writes, cryptically: Who is the third who always walks beside you?/When I count, there are only you and I together /But when I look ahead up the white road/There is always another one walking beside you.
In his footnotes to this verse, Eliot explained that the lines “were stimulated by the account of one of the Antarctic expeditions [Ernest Shackleton’s] ... that the party of explorers, at the extremity of their strength, had the constant delusion that there was one more member than could actually be counted.”
Third man, angel, alien or deity—all are sensed presences, so I call this the sensed-presence effect. In his gripping book, The Third Man Factor (Penguin, 2009), John Geiger documents the effect in mountain climbers, solo sailors and ultraendurance athletes. He lists conditions associated with it: monotony, darkness, barren landscapes, isolation, cold, injury, dehydration, hunger, fatigue and fear. I would add sleep deprivation; I have repeatedly experienced its effects and witnessed it in others during the 3,000-mile nonstop transcontinental bicycle Race Across America. Four-time winner Jure Robic, a Slovenian soldier, recounted to the New York Times that during one race he engaged in combat a gaggle of mailboxes he was convinced were enemy troops; another year he found himself being chased by a “howling band” of black-bearded horsemen: “Mujahedeen, shooting at me. So I ride faster.”
Sleep deprivation also accounts for Charles A. Lindbergh’s sensed presence during his transatlantic flight to Paris: “The fuselage behind me becomes filled with ghostly presences—vaguely outlined forms, transparent, moving, riding weightless with me in the plane ... conversing and advising on my flight, discussing problems of my navigation, reassuring me, giving me messages of importance unattainable in ordinary life.”
Whatever the immediate cause of the sensed-presence effect, the deeper cause is to be found in the brain. I suggest four explanations: 1) The hallucination may be an extension of the normal sensed presence we experience of real people around us, perhaps triggered by isolation. 2) During oxygen deprivation, sleep deprivation or exhaustion, the rational cortical control over emotions shuts down, as in the fight-or-flight response, enabling inner voices and imaginary companions to arise. 3) The body schema, or our physical sense of self—believed to be located primarily in the temporal lobe of the left hemisphere—is the image of the body that the brain has constructed. If for any reason your brain is tricked into thinking that there is another you, it constructs a plausible explanation that this other you is actually another person—a sensed presence—nearby. 4) The mind schema, or our psychological sense of self, coordinates the many independent neural networks that simultaneously work away at problems in daily living so that we feel like a single mind.
Neuroscientist Michael S. Gazzaniga of the University of California, Santa Barbara, calls this the left-hemisphere interpreter—the brain’s storyteller that pulls together countless inputs into a meaningful narrative story. In an experiment with a “split-brain” patient (whose brain hemispheres were surgically disconnected), Gazzaniga presented the word “walk” only to the right hemisphere. The patient got up and began walking. When he was asked why, his left-hemisphere interpreter made up a story to explain this behavior: “I wanted to go get a Coke.”
My brother-in-law Fred Ziel, who has twice climbed Mount Everest, tells me that both times he experienced a sensed presence: first when he was frostbitten and without oxygen at the limit of physical effort above the Hillary Step, and second on Everest’s north ridge after he collapsed from dehydration and hypoxia at 26,000 feet. Both times he was alone and feeling desirous of company. Tellingly, when I asked his opinion as a medical doctor on possible hemispheric differences to account for such phenomena, Fred noted, “Both times the sense was on my right side, perhaps related to my being left-handed.” The sensed presence may be the left-hemisphere interpreter’s explanation for right-hemisphere anomalies.
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35 Comments
Add Comment"My brother-in-law Fred Ziel, who has twice climbed Mount Everest, tells me that both times he experienced a sensed presence: first when he was frostbitten and without oxygen at the limit of physical effort above the Hillary Step, and second on Everests north ridge after he collapsed from dehydration and hypoxia at 26,000 feet."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHow self-indulgent to make this article so personal.
Your brother in law sounds like he was delusional and possibly masochistic. Does that pass for science here?
I was relaxing (fishing) when the hair on the back of my neck stood up, before I could turn around, I was pushed hard in the back, just avoiding the water, I turned around, there was no-one near... Funny what the brain is capable of?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Whatever its cause, the fact that it happens under so many different conditions tells us that the presence is inside the head and not outside the body."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat about when it happens to a group?
"Your brother in law sounds like he was delusional and possibly masochistic. Does that pass for science here?"
One is most likely a little masochistic and delusional to attempt the climb in the first place. Does that pass for a comment on the article here?
The article clearly states that these things occur when people are alone. It doesn't occur when you have people with you. what part of it don't you get? I don't mean to sound rude or anything, I am just saying that you missed the point. The "presence" shows up when you are alone.They are trying to figure out why our brains do that.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"In his footnotes to this verse, Eliot explained that the lines 'were stimulated by the account of one of the Antarctic expeditions [Ernest Shackletons] ... that the party of explorers, at the extremity of their strength, had the constant delusion that there was one more member than could actually be counted.'"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'm sorry, but this segment -clearly- states that this phenomenon can happen to groups of any size. I don't mean to sound rude or anything, I am just saying that you failed to read the article.
The article never said there were no mass hallucinations. I was wondering if the alone part was really that important for hallucinations to happen in the brain. The article did say that the hallucinations were "inside the head". But that would not account for mass hallucinations that happen. Are those a different kind? If so why are they different? If not how does that expand on the reasons a brain would hallucinate?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisScience, and journalism also, is supposed to be objective.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPeople lose objectivity when talking about friends and relatives. It IS self indulgent.
My point is valid - by including his brother-in-law prominently in the article it casts aspersions on the objectivity, and the scientific method, of the author.
It could only be worse if written by a junior HS student:
"My friends, sisters, cousin says he heard..."
The subtext that the single-mind is an illusion, covering something much more complex, is fascinating. To what extent is there a link between the lack of external stimulus and the unleashing of subconscious 'presence(s)'? ie. Is the one-mind just a convenient illusion while we're busy not burning ourselves on our coffee, but when external world goes away, by choice or by force, we fill the void in some other way?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this" Is the one-mind just a convenient illusion"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI wonder why that would be better? How would that help us?
" It IS self indulgent. "
I don't disagree.
You're kinda cranky there. Still upset about finding that this isn't the best of all possible worlds?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisVery funny, I like that.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCertainly NOT the best of all possible articles...
candide, this is just a science-related article, not a proper scientific paper. All of the examples are clearly anecdotal, and the author's ideas about the cause of this phenomenon are not even presented as a formal hypothesis. There's no reason to take the author to task for using a personal story amongst his collection of second-hand tales. I think, however, it would be fair if you criticized the skeptic community in general for writing too many anecdotal articles and not doing enough hard science.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this@architeuthis -
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAnecdotal evidence is one thing, using family members crosses a line, IMO. By excusing more and more accuracy and objectivity start down the slippery slope. Clearly we have different opinions on this.
As to your second point, I do and will criticize where warranted. Are there skeptics concerning Sensed-Presence Effects ?
As to the question of how could it be inside the mind if a group experiences it... how about this.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf the effect can be caused by subjecting a person to certain external conditions (low oxygen, extreme cold, lack of sleep, etc), then if a group of people all experience the same conditions, they could certainly all experience the same resulting internal effect. Since that effect is the belief there is an extra person around, they would each report the same thing... they just wouldn't necessarily be talking about the same extra person.
Just a thought.
Probably not a whole lot of religious people reading this article, but I happen to be one of them. And for me, these occurences could obviously be proof that God is present in our darkest hours when needed the most. Just an opinion. I am all for science, but I also love God.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhen I read about his brother in law experience in the Everest, I thought how interesting and scientific are the feelings of a person after such a physical exhaustion. Is there anything wrong with humanity, that we see faults in just about everything the others do, instead of marveling at people experiences and their interpretations?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou can marvel all you want, there is no prohibition against that.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHowever once you start "reporting" on scientific issues a certain level of objectivity should be met. I did not say it was wrong and in other venues it would be fine, just not in a scientific article on a science website.
Just think how a similar action would be perceived on a different subject: "I believe in global warming because my brother in law says he is sweating more."
Explorers of the Infinite does a great job discussing the spiritual, mystical and paranormal experiences of extreme athletes, such as climbers. I wrote a review of this book for Wilderness Medicine.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat bothers me is the ancient right hemisphere vs left hemispere argument that has been around for yrs to explain Deja vu and such. Flor-Henry postulated this with EEG studies. It is old science and really does not capture the phenomena of Shackleton or others. Explorers of the Infinite posits more sophisticated phenomena, although these simply can be spiritual. And, yes, I would like to climb Everest.
Candide, you may have had a point if this was a hard news article but the format is that of a feature article. A magazine feature at that. Generally such articles are much looser and informal then hard news articles. If, for example, this was breaking news regarding Obama's nuclear policy, mentioning a relative's thoughts would absolutely be out of line. As it stands, your holding a feature article to the wrong standards.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is science? I see nothing but conjecture and anecdotal evidence.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisConsider the experience of the phenomenon of a disembodied presence by religious people. When I was a christian believer, I thought it was a god-presence, and I directed by thoughts and prayers to it. This might be the cause of so many believers saying they are sure of their beliefs, because they experience it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI suspect the experience is the verbal brain's experience of its other half, which remains silent, and thus enigmatic.
"Sensed-presence effect" are just words, and words are limitations on experience.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf something is real for one, then it is real. If others experience it, then it is real for all. If you do not experience that which the one or the all do, then it is not real for you.
Would you deny a schizophrenic his hallucinations? For he or she, they are real. For someone who sees ghosts, you may consider that person crazed and delusional, but it doesn't make you right. It is his or her own reality.
Truth is subjectivity, subjectivity truth.
One one side of this argument, the sensed-presence is an external God; the core of the argument is that this effect is an internal psychological process; on the other side is that the sensed-presence is the real You, in the Zen sense, wholly internal and eternal.
All answers are real, all experience is a spectrum. It just depends on one's perspective.
@teleute -
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI understand your point and do agree that there are different standards for different contexts. This may not be a hard news story - but it is not the Enquirer either.
As a science related story on a science website I expect a but more. Just my opinion, feel free to disagree...
peanutbutter:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you read the book you would find that the phenomenon does indeed occur to groups. The title alone, "The Third Man," indicates it often happens to two climbers. There are also examples of entire expeditions behaving as if there were another person.
I've had the experience. Before contiuing, let me say any criticism about involving relatives to substantiate data because it's personal is ridiculous. The most reliable accounts will based on first-person experience. How much more 'personal' can you get?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy own experience was as a sailor in a small open boat at sea. After about the fourth day, when weather turned really foul, I had to "heave-to," which in effect means configuring and securing sail and rudder in such a way as to let the boat itself find its best attitude. And then, in my case, curling up against the side of the centerboard trunk, getting cold, and worrying a lot. After a couple of hours (the blow went on for two days) I became convinced that there was somebody standing at the stern, a hand on the helm, who had decades of experience and would see me through. He did not talk, he radiated no friendliness, only competence and an absence of fear. It seemed to be understood that I could keep him there only as long as I did not turn to look at him. He was there at night only. If I had been more afraid, or physically worn down, he might have been there full-time.
I think this article is ridiculous and so do my five imaginary friends.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIthought that I had a 'sensed presence' until I discovered that I had gained 10 kg.' Sixth Sense' rewrite: 'I see fat people' :-)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have just seen that someone with the same name as me who wrote exactly the same thing that I did! But a minute or so before!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSpooky.
To manvself.....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBravo, well put
manvself...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBravo! well said.
I think we should pay more attention and study more what we cannot see. And what we cannot see does not mean, invariably, that they don�t exist. We can�t see electricity but through its effects. The same as the radio waves and so on. I don�t deny that many times it can be a brain desorder, but it would be childish not to consider that we are not alone, literally.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this@leifhanlen You may find Marvin Minsky's The Society of Mind an interesting read.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMay I suggest the additional clue that could solve all of these four explanations ? It seems to me that, during the course of Human history, there was one main root of subliminal effects as well as not only hallucination: Shamanism.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisShamanism is the primary root of religious drives into the consciousness of human mind tricks, due to the highly-developed organ (oxygen state of mind) that fed the brain powerhouse. It is said that it is primarily located at the main cerebral pathway, in which our modern Homo species are very unusually and highly specialized in this area than any other primates. Neanderthals seem to be the closest link, only half the amount of so-called holes that drive the Shamanist brain quest. It is also said that it is one of primary drives in the prehistory arts, incidentally, in which ancestors may have been associated with the so-called hallucination or some type of imagery-shadowed neural networks.
Because of the proto-civilization environment, or semi-Paleolithic if you like, humans may have been unusually ambushed with shamanist-like push in the battle for survival of future generations. These genes inevitably led to the modern interpretation of how it is to be deprived of water, food, society, and so further, which may have a ultimate role on everyday people when one is disconnected from society and daily-living as we know it. Indeed, it is one of great debates and thought-provoking: perhaps we have inherited these memories and Shamanist organ genes, generally located in the spinal pathway between brain and neck.
Senses, after all, are affected by consciousness found in the ancient writings relevant to present-day world all over the world. Perhaps it is something there that we are not aware of in the civilized society, and ordinary people choose to neglect it out of ignorance or uninteresting.
Would this have anything to do with the phenomenon of "imaginary friends" seen with many young children? - Just wondering...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe problem with this whole line of thinking is to develop a closed mind to other experiences, precisely the enemy of open ended knowledge that science strives for. The forgone conclusion by Shermer is that this is an illusion because he does not see the possibility of the existence of God or of a spiritual world. Even if an external being came to him and said he was from the spiritual world because of his closed mindedness he would believe this was an illusion, itself a delusion. It is just the same as when the church rejected Gallileo's logic and observations--no different--except this time science has taken the place of the church as the new orthodoxy, and anyone who dares to seek other knowledge is persecuted professionally.
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