Opinions - Does LSD's sense of intelligence come from dopamine receptors firing erroneously?

[Dalfir]

...Essentially making simple statements seem like answers because of the "AHA!" feeling recurring at irregular intervals?

[eltimmy]

Er, no, nothing like this has been established. Also, the process of human cognition is extremely complex, involving not only the intricate action of numerous neurotransmitters, but a vast interconnecting mass of mechanisms, cell types, and much we have yet to know about; it cannot be reduced to monoamines and anyone who tells you otherwise:

a) doesn't know anything about neuroscience (or logical reasoning)
and/or
b) is trying to sell you something

But more towards what I think you were suggesting, a general rule of thumb for drug-induced revelations is to give them the once-over in a more relaxed state of mind. Some will be useful, some will be extremely useful/revelatory, some you might want to discard before you drop out of school or mail-order a giraffe. It's not like you have to believe everything the psychedelic "tells" you.

[Coconut]

The best thing to do, in my opinion, is have some paper and a pen or a dictaphone handy so if you have a epiphany while you're tripping, you can make a record of it and evaluate it when your consciousness returns to normal.

[Dalfir]

Not even prsonal epiphanies, though. SWIM could be in situation where he looks at the sky and thinks. "Wow, the sky is really blue." Then he'll feel this wave of "problem-solving" euphoria and the statement turns more into an answer (or another question.)

"Wow, the sky really IS blue." Or "Wow, the sky really is blue?"

It's as if the internal dialogue thinking those statements, says it in a different tone than usual...If that makes sense.

[psyche]

It's the number of connections one given thought has to others and how close they are that determine how important something feels. With psychedelics everything seems to relate to everything when you have access to your subconscious, which holds a hell of a lot material and can bring it to consciousness at a confounding speed.

[eltimmy]

>SWIM could be in situation where he looks at the sky and thinks. "Wow, the sky is really blue." Then he'll feel this wave of "problem-solving" euphoria and the statement turns more into an answer (or another question.)

Strange things happen. Now, the fact that SWIY pays attention to that will obviously reinforce similar lines of thought in the future ...

I think Psyche's advice is good. I wonder what would come of chasing those perceptions down the rabbit hole ... thought-loops ahead!

Actually I wouldn't worry about it.