I agree that believers and skeptics alike have their 'go-to' explanations, believe me, but I have to sincerely disagree with you, Tyder, on the question of shared hallucinations (and delusions). I, too, have studied "a little" in psychology and abnormal (psychopathogenic) psychology and have seen extensive research in what is commonly referred to as 'power of suggestion' and shared experiences by people (usually couples, very very rarely more than two) where one or both are in a sensitively diminished state. By sensitively diminished, I'm referring to either an actually psychological disorder or under the influence of a mind-altering drug. It's interesting because studies have been conducted and shown where a care-taker of someone with a delusional disorder will, indeed, start to share in some of the delusions of the patient.
In Adam's situation, as I pointed out in my last post, he and his friend were both primed, cocked, and readied to see UFO's, but from their own desires and the psychedelic drugs they were on. All it takes is for one of them to say, "Whoah, do you see that flying saucer???" and 'pop', the illusion (or hallucination) of a flying saucer appears, readily, in the others perception. This is no different than a hypnotist leading a patient, or an interviewer leading a witness, down the path they have a preconceived notion of, though such may be a more subtle guidance. It's still all "in the head", however, seeded by one into anothers thought and belief.
To address your concerns of a "basket", however, in which you may believe I'm putting Adam's experience in the basket of a shared hallucination that I clump all such encounters in, again I would have to state that you are incorrect. Shared hallucinations or "suggested" delusions rarely, if ever, go beyond two individuals from what I've studied. Add a third and the hallucination 'chain' breaks pretty fast and easy, perhaps due to a shared or group mentality of keeping things in check. That's why when you have a UFO encounter (or paranormal experience) in which there are more than two witnesses, it lends a greater air of credibility just by that very nature.
Still, you should go back and listen to the show, Tyder. It was an interesting, if entertaining, one.
J.
---------- Post added at 11:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:53 PM ----------
I am curious as to the experience. I'm so caught up in the critical thinking sometimes that if I were to become under the influence and actually experience something it would be quite shocking. Then again, I've little doubt that I would understand after the experience that it was influenced and not real. It's like watching Paranormal Activity (and 2); I've spent so many hours pouring over video and seeing nothing at all happening from an investigation, there's something strongly appealing to actually SEE something occur while watching an IR cam scene for a few minutes. It get's your heart pumping.
I've not seen any studies (though they may be out there) regarding perception levels of people under the influence of psychedelic drugs. Still, organs such as the human eye, ear, skin, etc... have their limits. For instance, taking such a substance would not suddenly grant one the ability to see into the IR wavelength of the light spectrum, nor would you suddenly be able to feel colors if your skin/nerves were not wired that way regardless of what you believe while under the influence. Such would indicate that any experiences you had under the influence would be purely mental and individual...experiences driven solely by the mind-altering drug you've taken and not from an external (paranormal) source.
My 2 cents.
