>
> Michael Sylvester wrote:
>
> > did really William James do dope? something about him inhaling nitrous
> > oxide?
> >
Yes, indeed. He recommended it as an aid to understanding Hegel
(really!) Here's part of what he had to say while stoned:
"Some observations of the effects of nitrous-oxide-gas-intoxication
which I was prompted to make by reading the pamphlet called The
anaesthetic revelation and the gist of philosophy (Blood, 1874), have
made me understand better than ever before both the strength and the
weakness of Hegel's philosophy. I strongly urge others to repeat the
experiment, which with pure gas is short and harmless enough..."
"Now this, only a thousand-fold enhanced, was the effect upon me of
the gas: and its first result was to make peal through me with
unutterable power the conviction that Hegelism was true after all, and
that the deepest convictions of my intellect hitherto were wrong."
He also reported the following profound observations while under the
influence:
"What's mistake but a kind of take?
What's nausea but a kind of -usea?
Sober, drunk, -unk, astonishment.
Everything can become the subject of criticism --
How criticise without something to criticise?
Agreement -- disagreement!!
Emotion -- motion!!!!
By God, how that hurts! By God, how it doesn't hurt!
Reconciliation of two extremes.
By George, nothing but othing!
That sounds like nonsense, but it is pure onsense!
Thought deeper than speech...!
Medical school; divinity school, school! SCHOOL!
Oh my God, oh God; oh God! "
Scarey, isn't it?
The whole essay, entitled _Subjective Effects of Nitrous Oxide_,
otherwise unidentified, is available at:
http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/jnitrous.html
All this from a great Jamesian web site at:
http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/james.html
-Stephen
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at:
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