From witchcraft to shamans to those with schizophrenia, voices and visions have always been part of human experience and they have always intrigued anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann. She now studies how various cultures understand these mysterious mental phenomena. Luhrmann has observed and talked to hundreds who’ve experienced voices and visions and learned there are “different pathways” to understand them, as she tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.Episode Reference Links:Stanford Profile: Tanya Marie LuhrmannTanya Luhrmann: WebsiteConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionHost Russ Altman introduces guest Tanya Luhrmann, a professor of anthropology at Stanford University.(00:02:18) Origins of InterestTanya shares her background and how it influenced her studies on the human mind and its perceptions.(00:05:53) Methodologies in Anthropological ResearchThe methods used to understand experiences like hearing voices and seeing visions.(00:07:04) Cultural Variability in Human ExperiencesHow hearing voices varies across cultures, and their implications on mental health.(00:13:42) The Clinical and Non-Clinical SpectrumThe clinical aspects of hearing voices, and how they are perceived and treated in different contexts.(00:18:01) Non-Clinical Manifestations and PracticeThe influence of practices and beliefs on non-clinical supernatural experiences.(00:22:24) Characteristics of LeadersFactors that make certain individuals leaders in perceptual practices.(00:23:43) AI and Relationships with ChatbotsParallels between relationships with imagined entities and modern AI chatbots.(00:28:40) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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