Is predictive processing the new magic bullet? On the role of randomness in unusual experiences
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Requested lectures |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Esoteric, spiritual, and other special experiences are a lived reality for many around the world. Yet, in practices aimed at hearing voices, having visions, or experiencing other special sensory perceptions, not everyone is able to do so. And for others, visions are coming unexpectedly, or not coming at all, even though they are trying hard to get them. Recent developments in cognitive neuroscience and the anthropology of religious experiences have led to a theoretical framework of predictive processing and the kindling of special percepts, suggesting that with sustained practice, people may learn to have special experiences. However, it seems that for some, predictive processing has become a kind of “magic bullet” that explains sensory relationships with spiritual beings in one shot. Is it really that simple, or are there other variables that also need to be considered important? Can such an interpretation of predictive processing be caused by an overly simplistic understanding of it? In the talk, I will focus on the importance of practice, the problems of the predictive processing framework in studying special experiences (what specifically the theory can promise and what it does not claim), and on the role of other factors, such as environment, uncertainty, individual history, socialization, and psychological dispositions. I will argue that randomness and the relative uniqueness of having special experiences “on demand” are actually key: if prolonged practice were enough, then everybody could become an expert and perceive what they expected to envision. However, would such information even be valuable if it only verifies previous expectations? I argue that this is not the case, because the randomness and unexpectedness of visions – at least to some extent – are a key to novelty and new insights. |