From: ceram@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr J W Bottomley)
Newsgroups: uk.misc
Subject: Re: HYPNOSIS, Hypnotic Regression.
Date: 22 Jan 1993 11:48:08 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
NNTP-Posting-Host: clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk

In article <1993Jan15.102150.29135@alex.com> news@alex.com writes:

>In this respect, what many people refer to as intelligence (logical 
>cognitive ability) is a definite handicap. Because they tend to use their 
>concious mind exclusively and have little access to any sort of intuition. 

I don't think intelligence could ever be described as a handicap. If
intelligence is defined as the abilityt to form a new and appropriate,
flexible and accurate response to each new situation in the current
environment, then this is not a handicap.

As regards hypnosis, it worries me. What is someone doing in hypnosis
when they appear to accept `instructions' or `outside suggestions' from
the hypnotist that they would not normally do (although they might wish
to) in their fully concious state? An example is the hypnotic `cure' of
smoking addiction. My guess is that this is damaging, because the habit
addiction of smoking is replaced by setting up a new conditioned habit
of paying compulsive attention to the voice and instructions of
the hypnotist. I've had experience of knowing a number of people who have
been through this and after detailed talks with them have come to the 
conclusion that the hypnotee is being partially, and only semi-conciously,
`dominated' by the hypnotis. This is voluntary, in the sense that they 
have allowed this to happen, but only in a semi-concious state akin to
sleep, where they have not had sufficient normal perceptions, active
intelligence or self-will to contradict it. I think this is messing with
something poorly understood and I suspect that one day there will be massive
law suits against they hypnotists for screwing people up!

>
>In other words your mind never shuts up long enough for you to just *feel*
>sleepy! All in all, "intelligence" has a lot to answer for. I do agree that
>imagination is important - but then again you can learn how to use that too.

Imagination is surely part of intelligence. It seems to me that what you're saying here is that it might be good to sometimes suspend concious self-control
and thinking. I disagree with this. Of course, it might be good to sometimes
suspend unintelligent bad habits like anxiously worrying, which might be 
what you are describing above, but they are not intelligent behaviour in
my book!

As regards hypnotic regression, I don't believe a word of it. Apart from
anything else, it doesn't add up logically. There are now approx. 40 times
as many people on the Earth as there were 500 years ago. How come the
Regressors manage to find an ancient dead soul in everyone they regress?
They should only hit about 1 in 40. Or do those dead souls go forth and
multiply. :-)

BTW, there are now more people alive than have ever lived, so don't 
-- 
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Jim Bottomley: ceram@uk.ac.warwick.csv  ;  apj003@uk.ac.cov.cck
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Newsgroups: uk.misc,uk.news