Noetics: The Study of Consciousness

Table of contents:

1. The components of consciousness
2. Views of the Mind
3. The nature of ordinary consciousness
4. Discrete states of consiousness
5. Stabilization of a state of consciousness
6. Induction of Altered States
7. Subsystems 
8. Individual differences
9. Identity States...
10. Strategies
11. The depth dimension of a state of consciousness
12. Higher states of consciousness
13. Steps in a typical evaluation and decision-making process
    

The components of consciousness:

1. Attention / awareness
1. Kinds of awareness
1. Environmental-awareness
2. Self-awareness
2. Views of awareness
1. Awareness is a product of the structure and content of the individual brain.
2. Awareness is at least partially something from outside the workings of the brain.
3. Awareness can be volitionally directed to some extent.
4. Stimuli instructors attract or capture attention / awareness.
5. The ease with which particular kinds of structures and contents capture attention / awareness varies with the state of consciousness and the personality structure of the individual.
6. Attention / awareness constitutes the major energy in the mind, as we usually experience it.
2. Attention / awareness is energy...
1. In the sense that structures having no effect on the consciousness at a given time can be activated if attended to.
2. In the sense that structures may draw attention / awareness energy automatically, habitually, as a function of personality structure, thus keeping a kind of low-level, automated attention in them all the time.
3. In the sense that attention / awareness energy may inhibit particular structures from functioning.
3. Structures
1. We infer (from outside) the existence of a particular structure by observing that a certain kind of input information reliability results in specific transformed output information under typical conditions.
2. We hypothesize that structures generally continue to exist even when they are not active, since they operate again when appropriate activating information is present.
3. The structure forming something that has a recognizable shape, pattern, function, and process that endure over time.
4. Some structures may be so complex that we are unable to recognize them as structures.
5. A psychological structure may vary in intensity and / or the quality of its activity, both overall in and in terms of its component parts, still retain its basic patterns (Gestalt qualities) and so remain recognisably the same.
6. Some structures are essentially permanent.
7. Some structures are mainly or totally given by an individual's particular developmental history;  they are created by, programmed by, learning conditioning, and enculturation processes that the individual undergoes.
8. Permanent structures create limits on, and add qualities to what can be done with programmable structures: the hardware puts some constraints on what the software can be.
9. Structures, for the outside investigator, be hypothesized  explanatory entities based on experiential, behavior, or psychological data.
4. Interaction of structures and attention / awareness.
1. Many structures function completely independent of attention / awareness.
2. Some psychological structures require a certain amount of attention / awareness energy in order to...
1. Be formed or created in the first place (software programming).
2. Operate
3. Have their functions inhibited.
4. Have their structure or operation modified, and/or...
5. Be destructured and dismantled.
3. Attempts to stop its certain structure from operating by trying to withhold attention energy from its may fail.
1. If the structure is (at least partially) operating on energy other than attention / awareness it may no longer be possible to change it with the amount of attention / awareness energy we are able to focus on it.
4. Even if the structure still operates with attention / awareness energy, complete control of this energy may be beyond our conscious volition for one or both of the following reasons:
1. The energy flow through it maybe so automatized and overlearned, so implicit, that we simply do not know how to affect it.
2. The functioning structure and may have vital (and often unpleasant or hidden) connections with our reward and punishment systems, so that there are secondary gains from the operation of the structure, despite our conscious complaints.
5. Since the amount of attention / awareness energy available at any particular time as a fixed upper limit, some decrement should be found when too many structures draw on this energy simultaneously.
6. Once a structure has been formed and its operating, either in isolation or an interaction with other structures, the attention / awareness energy required for its operation can be automatically drawn on either intermittently or continuously.
7. There is a fluctuating but generally large drain on attention / awareness energy at all times by the multitude of automated interacting structures whose operation constitutes personality, the normal state of consciousness.
5. Interaction between structures.
1. Individual structures of various kinds of properties.
2. Information is fed into any structure in one or more ways and comes out of the structure in one or more ways.
1. Kinds of inputs and outputs for complex structures.
1. Inputs and outputs that we can be constantly aware of with suitable deployment of attention / awareness.
2. Inputs and outputs that we cannot be consciously aware of but we can make inferences about.
3. Inputs and outputs that are part of feedback control interconnections between structures, which we cannot be directly aware.
3. For two structures to interact
1. They must have either a direct connection between them or some connections mediated by other structures.
2. Their input and output information must be in the same code so information output from one makes sense to the input from the other.
3. The output signals of one structure must not be so weak that they are below the threshold for reception by the other structure.
4. The output signals of one structure must not be so strong that they overload the input of the other structure.
4. Two structures may be unable to interact properly if the action of a third structure interferes with them.
5. Two structures interact readily and smoothly with one another to form a composite structure, a system whose properties are additive properties of the individual structures, as well as Gestalt properties unique to the combination.
6. The interactional structures apply to both hardware (biologically given) and software (cultural programmed) structures.
7. Defense mechanisms can be viewed in these system terms whose ways of controlling interaction patterns among perceptions and psychological structures.
8. Many structures using internet simultaneously with all the above-mentioned factors facilitating or inhibiting interactions to various degrees at various points in the total system formed.
9. While the interaction of structures is affected by the way attention / awareness energy has deployed, it is also affected by the properties of individual structures.

Views of the Mind:

1. Conservative View
1. Danger of The View
1. Many experiences in various altered states of consciousness are inconsistent with this theory, that implicit faith in the conservative view makes us liable to distort our perceptions of this phenomenon.
2. Parapsychological data suggests that awareness is at least partially outside brain functioning, the condition that leads to very different views of human nature.
2. Concepts of the conservative view
1. Fixed biological hardware qualities of those inherited In the physical makeup of the brain itself, as dictated by the physical laws that govern reality. The fixed reality molds the biohardware.
2. Semichangeable mental software qualities are the programmable aspects of the brain, the capacities for recording data and building up perception evaluation, and action patterns in accordance with programming instructions given by the culture. The cultural programs the software of individual and sometimes vice versa.
3. Awareness as shown as an emergent quality of the brain, and so awareness is ultimately limited by the hardware and by particular software programs in the brain.
4. Consciousness is the individual's experience of awareness diffused through a tiny fraction of the structure of the brain and nervous system.
2. Radical View
1. Concepts of the radical View.
1. Awareness is soon as something that comes from outside the structure of the physical brain, as well as something influenced by the structure of the brain (thus given consciousness) in the cultural programming.
2. Physical reality is not completely fixed in today, but something that may actually be safe in some fundamental manner by the individual's beliefs about it. Not perceptions of reality, but of the actual structure of reality.
3. Mental software and consciousness is the same as the conservative view.
3. Awareness is only a function of the brain is a hindrance because...
1. Psychology deals more and more with the phenomena of altered states of consciousness, it will more and more have to deal with phenomena that does not sit well in a conceptual scheme that says awareness is only a product of the brain.
2. The existence of first-class scientific data to suggest that awareness may be something other than the product of the brain.

The nature of ordinary consciousness:

1. Ordinary state of consciousness is not natural or given.
2. Most of our lives are spent in consensus reality made by our culture.
3. Consciousness, not our sense organs, is really our origin of perception, and one way to begin to see the arbitrariness of our consciousness is to apply the assumption that order of consciousness is somehow natural or given to the perceptual situation.
4. Most of us deal with this agreement by simply assuming that those who disagree with us or wrong, but our own perceptions and consciousness are the standard of normality and righteousness, and that other people cannot observe or think well and / or are lying, evil, or mentally ill.
5. Perception can be highly selective and filtered.
6. Unknown information passes right through the mind without making a match.
7. Enculturation
1. The culture trains in you what is "good", "holy", "natural", and what is "bad", "evil", "unnatural." They reward you for the good and punish you for the bad.
2. The culture you live in thinks its culture is the best, and other cultures are bad.
3. Stages of culturation
1. Infancy
1. A person's innate learning capacity may be highest of all in infancy, for the infant has to learn to construct the consensus reality of his culture.
2. The structuring / programming of our consciousness that takes place in early infancy is probably the most persistent and most implicit of all the programming and learning, for at that time we have no other framework to compare it with.
2. Childhood
1. Attained a basic membership in the consensus reality of his culture but not complete his consciousness is shaped to fit consensus reality is through the medium of language.
3. Adolescence
1. Very much a member of the consensus reality of his culture: his  ordinary state of consciousness is well adapted to fit into it.
2. A fair degree of control over his physical environment.
4. Adulthood
1. Full-fledged members of the consensus reality: they both maintain it through their interaction with their peers and are shaped by and by parts of it.
2. Because of the power over physical reality given them by their consensus reality state of consciousness, adults are the most free; yet, because they are the most thoroughly indoctrinated in consensus reality, they are the most bound.
5. Senescence
1. Potentials deteriorating, breakdown may alter the structure.
2. To old to participate actively in the affairs of his culture.
8. The complexity of consciousness.
1. Mental
1. Cognitive experience
2. Philosophies and world views
3. (Implicit) beliefs
4. Perceptual learning, conditionings, language structure, and a priori categories.
2. Emotional
1. Emotional experience
2. Likes and dislikes
3. Defense mechanisms in unconscious complexes.
4. Pleasure-pain conditioning and instincts.
3. Bodily
1. Bodily experience
2. Complex skills and style of movement.
3. Chronic muscle sets and posture.
4. Reflexes, instincts, and simple motor patterns.
4. Combination of one or two

Discrete states of consiousness:

1. Mapping experiences
1. Types of consciousness
1. Ordinary consciousness
1. Low ability to hallucinate.
2. High rationality
2. REM dreaming
1. High ability to hallucinate.
2. Low rationality
3. Lucid dreaming
1. High ability to hallucinate.
2. High rationality
2. Definition
1. A unique configuration or system of psychological structures or subsystems.
2. To understand a discrete states of consciousness, we must grasp the nature of the parts, psychological o structures/subsystems that compose it, and we must take into account the Gestalt properties that arise from the overall system-- that  properties that aren't an obvious result of their functioning of the parts.
3. Discreteness of states of consciousness
1. It's immediate experiential basis is usually Gestalt pattern recognition.
2. There has been little or no mapping of the transition from the baseline state of consciousness to the altered state.
3. Ego states during sleep.
1. Intact ego state
1. Filtered consensus reality well, and there was little or no feelings of loss of reality contact.
2. Destructuralized ego state
1. Content was bizarre.
2. Reality contact was impaired or lost.
3. Restructuralized ego state
1. Contact with reality was lost.
2. Contact was plausible by consensus reality standards.
4. Many of the structures we deal with in our conscious, as constructed in our personal growth, or not ultimate structures but compound ones peculiar to our culture, personality, and belief systems.

Stabilization of a state of consciousness:

1. Loading stabilization- keeping a person's conscious busy with desired types of activities so that too little (attention/awareness) energy is left over to allow disruption of the system's operation.
1. Types of loadings
1. Physical laws
2. Your body (and your internalized body image)
3. Body movement
4. Thinking
2. Negative feedback stabilization- such as anxiety or fear.
3. Positive feedback stabilization
4. Limiting stabilization
1. Tranquilizing drugs
2. Emotions

Induction of Altered States:

1. General principles
1. Induction operations
1. Disruptive enough stabilizing processes to a great enough extent that the baseline pattern of consciousness cannot maintain its integrity.
2. Apply patterning forces stimuli that then pushes disrupted psychological functioning toward the new pattern of the desired altered state of consciousness.
2. Steps in the induction process.
1. Apply disruptive forces and patterning forces.
2. Apply just patterning forces until discrete state of consciousness is reached.
2. Going to sleep.
3. Inducing hypnosis.
1. The hypnotist tells you to sit or lie comfortably, so you do not have to exert any effort to maintain your bodily position, and telling you not to move and to relax your body so much as possible.
2. The hypnotist commonly tells you to listen only to his voice and to ignore other thoughts or sensations that come into your mind.
3. You should not think about what the hypnotist is saying, but listen to it passively.
4. Focus your attention on some particular thing in addition to the hypnotist's voice.
5. The hypnotist commonly suggests to you that you are feeling sleepy or drowsy.
6. As well as suggesting sleep, the hypnotist often further indicated that this sleep is not quite the same as real sleep because you will still hear him.
7. Once you appear passive and relaxed, most hypnotic procedures go on to simple motor suggestions, such as having you hold an arm horizontally out in front of you and telling you it is getting heavy.
8. The hypnotic state.
1. Quiet mind
2. Most of the structures are inactive.
3. Many of the psychological subsystems aren't actively functioning.
4. Greatly enhanced suggestibility.
5. Greater mobility of attention/awareness.
4. Meditation and meditative states.
1. Concentration meditation.
1. Put all your attention on some particular thing. This can be internally or externally.
2. If the mind wanders away from this focus the meditator is to bring it back gently to this focus, and not allow it to be distracted.
2. State resulting from concentration meditation.
1. Voidness, blankness, nothingness.
2. Temporary non-functioning of all psychological functions.
3. Opening-up meditation.
1. Helps you achieve full sensitivity to and awareness of whatever happens to you, to be a conscious observer observing what is happening to you about being caught up in your reactions to it.
4. Expressive meditation.

Subsystems:

1. Exteroception- the eyes, ears, nose, taste organs, and touch organs.
1. Active organ- normally engage in active scanning of the envrionment.
2. Limited responsiveness.
3. Some voluntary control over the input to your exteroception sense.
4. Input from the environment that, while varying, remains within a learned, anticiated range acts as a source of leading stabilization.
5. Redirection of sensory input to a level as near zero as possible is a potent technique for incuding discrete altered state of consciousness.
6. Changing the patterning of input to the exteroceptions, and the subsequent processing of the information in Input-Processing, can also be a major way of altering consciousness.
7. Overloading the exteroceptions is another way of inducing discrete altered state of consciousness.
2. Interoception- senses that tells us what is going on inside our bodies- the position of our limbs, the degree of muscle tension, how our limbs are moving, pressure of our intestines, body temperature.
1. Interoception signals not normally in our awareness can be put in our awareness by turning our attention / awareness to them.
2. We can also control interception input by doing various things to our bodies.
3. The pattern of input from our interoceptions can be subsumed under a useful psychological concept, the body image.
4. The body image can be very rigid and may or may not so much correspondence to the actual body contours and what actually goes on in the body.
5. Enormous changes can take place in interoception.
6. Changing your body image is a common technique for inducing discreet altered states of consciousness.
7. Immobilizing the body in a relaxed position in a major way of causing the output from its reception to face and, consequently, causing the body image either to face or to change, but it is no longer stabilized by actual input from the interoceptions.
8. Overloading interoceptions is an important technique for altering consciousness.
9. Patterning interoception input in unusual fashions is another way of inducing discreet altered states of consciousness.
3. Input processing- subsystem consists of a complex, interlocking series of totally automatic processes that compares incoming data against previously learned material stored in memory, rejects much of the data as irrelevant, selects some of them important enough to deserve further processing, transforms and abstracts these important data, and passes this abstraction along to awareness.
1. Input processing is totally automatic.
2. Input processing is a learned behavior, probably the most complex a human being has to acquire.
3. Variations in input processing that are related to difference withing consenseus reality.
4. Fixed properties of perceptual organization may change in various discrete altered states of consciousness as input processing changes.
5. Illusions and halluncinations, frequently reported in discrete altered states of consciousness, represent important changes in input processing.
6. Another type of variation that can occur in input processing in discrete altered states of consciousness is the partial or total blocking of input from exteroceptions or interoceptions.
7. When input is completely blocked in input processing, there may or may not be a substitution of other input.
8. Reported in discrete altered states of consciousness is an experience of feeling more in touch with the actual machinery of input processing, gaining more insight or direct experience of how abstracting processes work.
4. Memory- concerned with information storage, with containing residue of past experiences that are drawn upon in the present.
   
1. Short term memory - special memory process that holds information about sensory input and internal processes for a few seconds at the most.
2. Medium term memory - storage from minutes to a day or so.
3. Long term memory - semi-permanent structure changes that allow you to recall things experienced and learned a long time ago.
4. Most important aspect of memory subsystem functions in various discreet altered states of consciousness is the phenomena of state-specific memory.
5. Subconscious - mental processes or phenomena that occurs outside conscious awareness in that ordinarily cannot become conscious.
1. Includes sexual and aggressive instincts and their subliminations.
2. Includes creative processes, the kinds of things we vaguely call intuition and hunches, tender and loving feelings that may be just as inhibited in their expression as sexually aggressive ones, and other factors influencing conscious behavior.
3. Includes kinds of thinking that are now called right hemisphere modalities of thinking.
6. Evaluation and decision-making- those intellectual, cognitive processes with which we deliberately evaluate the meaning of things and decide what to do about them.
1. Logic is a self-contained, arbitrary system.
2. Much of what passes as rationality in our ordinary discrete states of consciousness is in fact rationalization.
3. In the ordinary discrete state of consciousness, the operation of the evaluation and decision-making subsystem is often hyperactive to the point of constituting noise--noise in the sense that the over investment of attention/awareness energy in this process lowers the ability to notice and deal with other sources of relevant information.
4. All the above relatively quantative variations in the functioning of the evaluation and decision-making subsystem may be exaggerated in various discrete states of consciousness.
5. The substitution of a different logic from one ordinarily used in your base state of consciousness is a qualitative variation in various discrete states of consciousness.
6. In the ordinary discrete state of consciousness, we are intolerant of contradictions in logic; in a discrete state of consciousness, tolerance for contradictions may be much higher.
7. There apparently exists two discrete modes of cognition associated with the functioning of the left anad right cerebral hemispheres, respectively.
8. In the ordinary discrete state of consciousness, constant, repetitious thinking absorbs a great deal of attention/awareness energy and acts as a form of load stabilization.
9. Ordinarily evaluation and decision-making activity consists of a sequential progression from one thought to another.
10. In some of the more stable discrete states of consciousness, like hypnosis or dreaming, the rules for association may be systematically changed.
7. Emotions- feelings that can be named but not easily defined. Such as grief, fear, joy, surprise, yearning, anger, but that we define inadequately in terms of words.
1. The emotions subsystem is, in one sense, the most important subsystem, for it can exert tremendous influence.
2. The Western culture is strongly characterized by poor volitional control over the emotions subsystem in the ordinary discrete state of consciousness.
3. In addition to changes in the degree of control over emotions, the intensity of emotions themselves may also change in discrete alternate states of consciousness.
4. In some discrete alternate states of consciousness new emotions appear, emotions that are never present in the ordinary discrete state of consciousness.
8. Space/time sense- experiental constructs that we have used to organize sensory stimuli coming to us. 
1. In the ordinary discrete state of consciousness there is a small amount of variation in space/time sense.
2. Variations in the apparent rate of time flow may be much larger in some discrete altered states of consciousness but not too much. 
3. Reported from some discrete altered states of consciousness is that the direction of flow of time seems to change.
4. A rewarding discrete altered state of consciousness experience is an increased focus on the present moment, a greatly increased here-and-nowness.
5. The experience of timlessness, of the feeling that any kind of temporal framework for an experience as meaningless as reported in various discrete Altered States of consciousness.
6. Deja Vu is a time experience and occasionally happens in the ordinary discrete state of consciousness it may actually represent a momentary transition into a discrete altered state of consciousness and happens more frequently in discrete altered states of consciousness.
7. The quantitative variations in space perception that occur in the ordinary discrete state of consciousness may occur in greatly increase form of discrete altered states of consciousness.
8. Another discrete altered states off consciousness-associated spatial change is loss of the spatial framework as a source of orientation.
9. We ordinarily think of space is empty, but in discrete altered states of consciousness space is sometimes perceived as having a more solid quality, is being filled with "vibrations" or "energy," rather than as being empty.
9. Sense of identity- function is to attach a "this is me" quality to certain aspects of experiences to certain information in consciousness, and thus to create the sense of an ego.
1. Any item of information to which the "this is me" quality is attached acquired considerable extra potency and so may arouse strong emoitons and otherwise control attention/awareness energy.
2. At any given time only some of the contents of awareness are modulated by the ego quality.
3. Another major function of the sense of identity subsystem in the exact opposite of its usual function: a denial of the sense of self to certain structures.
4. The functioning of the sense of identity subsystem is highly variable in the ordinary discrete state of consciousness, much more variable than we are ordinary aware.
5. Each person has a number of relatively permanent identifications, well-defined experiential and behavioral repertoires that he thinks of himself.
6. One of the person's most constant, semi-permanent identifications is with his own body, more precisely, with his body image, the abstract of the data from its body is mediated through the exteroception, interoception, and input processing subsystems.
7. On the basis of this massive transient and semi-permanent identifications, with various degrees of compartmentalization, each of us believes in something he called his ego or self.
8. Ego is characterized as a continuity and consistency of functioning to which we attach special importance, that which does not have these reality of a sollid thing somewhere, which is only a pattern of operation that disappears under close scrutiny.
9. Reports from the discrete states of consciousness indicate that the sense of ego can be disengaged from a wide variety of kinds of information and situations to which it is normally attached.
10. Motor output- consists of those structures by which we physically affect the external world and our own bodies. 
1. Two kinds of inputs control motor output
1. Input from the evaulation and decision making subsystem, conscious decisions to do or not to do something.
2. Input from a series of controling that by passes the evaluation and decision making subsystem.
1. Reflexes
2. Emotional reactions
3. Direct control of motor output from the subconscious subsystem.
2. Motor output operates with almost constant feedback control.
3. Many voluntary movements are quite unconscious in terms of their details.
4. Deautomatization of motor actions is another sort of altered awareness of motor output that can occur in a discrete altered state of consciousness.
5. In a discrete altered state of consciousness the subconscious subsystem may control the motor output subsystem or parts of it.

Individual differences:

1. Psychologically, each of us assume that his own mind is an example of a "normal" mind and then projects his own experiences on to other people, iaware of how much projecting he is doing.
2. On those occasions when we do recognize great differences in the mental functioning of others, we are tempted to label the differences weird or abnormal or pathological.
3. In addition to the large individual differences that may exist among people we think are all in the same discrete state of consciousness, there are important individual differences among people's abilities to transit from one discrete state of consciousness to another.

Identity States...

1. ... have an overall pattern of functioning, a Gestalt, which gives it a system identity and distinguishes it from other identity states.
2. ... are composed of structures / subsystems, psychological functions, skills, memories.
3. ... posses unique properties not present in other identity states.
   
4. ... presumably has some stabilizing processes, although apparently fewer than the ordinary discrete state of consciousness as a whole, since identity states can change so rapidly.
   
5. ... functions as a tool for coping with the world, with varying degrees of effectiveness.
   
6. ...require an induction process to transit from one identity state to another, a requisite stimulus to bring on a new identity state.
7. Identity states are almost never identified as discrete states of consciousness in ordinary people because...
1. ...each person has a large repertoire of these identity states and transits between one and another of them extremely readily practically instantly.
2. ...all these identity states share much psychological functioning in common, such as speaking English, responding to the same proper name, wearing the same sets of clothes.
3. ...all a person's ordinarily used identity states share in his culturally defined consensus reality.
4. ...a person's identification is ordinarily very high, complete, with each of these identity states.
5. ...identity states are driven by needs, fears, attachments, defensive maneuvers coping mechanisms, and this highly charges quality of an identity state makes it unlikely that the person involved will be engaged in self-observation.
6. ...many identity states have, as a central focus, emotional needs and drives that are socially unacceptable or only partially acceptable.

Strategies:

1. Basic predictive operations
1. Observe the properties of structures / subsystems as well as you can from the current state of knowledge.
2. Organize the observations to make better theoretical models of the structures / subsystems.
3. Predict, on the basis of the models, how those structures / subsystems can and cannot interact with each other under various conditions.
4. You can test these predictions by looking for or attempting to create a discrete state of consciousness that fit or do not fit these improved structure / subsystem models and seeing how well the models work.
2. Sequential strategies in studying discrete states of consciousness
1. The general experiential, behavior or physiological components of a rough concept of a particular discrete altered state of consciousness are mapped.
2. The experiential space of varying individuals is mapped to determine whether their experiences show the distinctive clusterings and patternings that constitute a discrete states of consciousness.
3. Map various discrete states of consciousness of particular individuals in detail.
4. Even more detailed studies can be done on the nature of a particular discrete states and the structures / subsystems comprising them.

The depth dimension of a state of consciousness:

1. Relation of depth to intensity

2. Self-reports of depths
1. The Extended North Carolina Scale
1. Zero - normal, waking state
2. 1 - 12 - relaxed and detached state
3. 20 or greater- very definitely hypnotized
4. 25 or greater - strong inner  experiences; dreams or dreamlike experiences
5. 30 or greater- regressing into the past; mind very quiet
6. 40 or greater- very deep hypnotic state; mind perfectly still and at peace
2. William: deep hypnosis and beyond
1. First effect "physical relaxation"
2. Second effect "blackness" of the visual field
3. Third effect "peacefulness"
4. Fourth effect "awareness of environment"
5. Fifth effect "sense of identity"
6. Sixth affect "awareness of the joke" - the joke is that William should engage in strange activities like deep hypnosis, meditation; some "higher" aspects of himself is amused by all this activity, and William himself becomes aware of this amusement.
7. Seventh effect "sense of potentiality"
8. Eighth effect "experimenter's identity"
9. Nineth effect "rate of time passage"
10. Tenth effect "feeling of oneness"
11. Eleventh effect "spontaneous mental activity"
12. Twelve effect "awareness of his own breathing"

Higher states of consciousness:

1. Higher and lower discrete states of consciousness
1. Orthodox Western
1. Primary value- complete rationality, adherence to the logic and values our culture believes are true.
2. Ordinary rationality is occasionally neurotic.
3. Dreaming is a lower discrete state of consciousness because there are many logical flaws in it and the dreamer is out of touch with (consensus) reality.
4. Psychotic states are even lower in these ways.
5. Toxic psychoses (states induced by major poisonings) are usually the most irrational and out-of-touch states of all.
6. Creative states are located between ordinary rationally and dreaming.
2. "Hip"
1. Highest states are mystical experiences.
2. Creative states are next in value.
3. Open or loose rationality.
4. Ordinary, neurotically flawed rationality.
5. Complete rationality is valued somewhere between open and ordinary rationality.
6. Dreaming is generally considered somewhat lower than ordinary rationality.
7. Psychoses are at the bottom.
2. Three explicit orderings
1. Buddhist path of concentration
1. Access State - hindering thoughts overcome, other thoughts remain. Awareness of sensory inputs and body states. Primary object of concentration dominates thought. Feelings of rapture, happiness, equanimity. Initial and sustained thoughts of primary object. Flashes of light or bodily lightness. (This one and the next four following are material states.)
2. First Jhana- hindering thoughts, sensory perception, and awareness of painful bodily states all cease, initial and unbroken sustained attention to primary object of concentration. Feelings of rapture, bliss, and one-pointedness.
3. Second Jhana- Feeling of rapture, bliss, one-pointedness. No thought of primary object of concentration.
4. Third Jhana- Feeling of bliss, one-pointedness, and equanimity. Rapture ceases.
5. 4th Jhana- equanimity and one-pointedness, all feelings of bodily pleasure cease.
6. Fifth Jhana- consciousness of infinite space equanimity and one-pointedness. (This one and the rest are formless states.)
7. Sixth Jhana- object infinite consciousness, equanimity and one-pointedness.
8. 7th Jhana- awareness of no-thing-ness, equanimity and one-pointedness.
9. Eighth Jhana- neither perception nor nonperception, equanimity and one-pointness.
2. Buddhist path of insight
1. Access concentration and bare insight- previous attainment of access concentration on path of concentration. Bare insight is an acheivement of ablilty to notice all phenomena of mind to point where interfering thoughts do not seriously distrub practice.
2. Mindfulness- mindfulness of body function, physical sensations, mental states, or mind objects.
3. Stage of reflections- neither pleasant nor reliable. Devoid of self. Awareness and its objects are perceived at every moment as distinct and separate processes.
4. Pseudonirvana- clear perception of the arising and passing of each successive mind moment. Accompanied by various phenomena such as brilliant light, rapturous feelings, tranquility, devotion, energy, happiness, strong mindfulness, equanimity toward objects of contemplation, quick and clear perception, and attachment to these newly arisen states.
5. Realization- realization of the dreadful unsatisfactory, and wearisome nature of physical and mental phenomena.
6. Effortless insight.
7. Nirodh- total cessation of consciousness. 
3. Arica system
1. -24 - neurotic states. Negative states: pain, guilt, fear, doing what one has to do but in the state of pain, guilt, fear.
2. ±48 - the neutral bio-computer state. Absorption and transmission of new ideas, reception and transmission of new data and new programs. Doing, teaching, and learning with maximum facility, emotionally neutral. On the earth, excellent reality contact.
3. +24 - all the needed programs are in the unconscious of the bio-computer, operating smoothly; the self is lost in pleasurable activities that one knows best and likes to do.
4. +12 - blissful, Christ-attuned state, reception of divine grace, cosmic love, cosmic energy, heighten bodily awareness, highest function of bodily and planetside  consciousness, being in love.
5. +6 - being a point source of consciousness, energy, light, and love. Astral travel and other psi phenomena. Fusion with other entities in time.
6. +3 - fusion with universal mind, union with God, being one of the creators of energy from the void.

Steps in a typical evaluation and decision-making process:

1. A situation enters the Input Processing subsystem. A person uses the Memory subsystem in conjuction with the Input Processing subsystem to make an evaluation.
2. If the evaulation makes only partial sense, the person seeks more information using Input Processing.
3. A further evaluation is made using Memory. No action is made if the evaluation still does not make sense otherwise goto step 4.
4. A valued action is made based on Memory. 
5. The action feeds back into Input Processing for further evaluation.

Source: States of Consciousness (1975) by Charles T. Tart, Ph. D.