The Sean McDowell Show Debunking the Hallucination Hypothesis: Leading Doctors Speak on Jesus
May 6, 2025
Craig Fowler, a top ophthalmologist and surgery chair at Campbell University, teams up with Harold Koenig, a renowned expert in science, theology, and spirituality from Duke University. Together, they unravel the myth of hallucinations explaining Jesus’s post-resurrection appearances. They discuss how collective hallucinations are improbable, the profound relationship between faith and health, and the unique nature of the apostles' encounters. Their insights reveal how faith can enhance well-being and criticize the hallucination hypothesis with compelling research and personal stories.
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Definition and Nature of Hallucinations
- Hallucinations are perceptions without external stimuli, often vivid and uncontrollable.
- They can occur in any sensory modality and differ from illusions which misinterpret real stimuli.
Multimodal Hallucinations Are Extremely Rare
- Multimodal hallucinations involving several senses simultaneously are extremely rare.
- The apostles' experiences describe complex, interactive encounters inconsistent with typical hallucinations.
Group Hallucinations are Astronomically Unlikely
- Statistical probability of all apostles simultaneously hallucinating in multiple modalities is astronomically low.
- Such probability renders the hallucination explanation for group experiences almost impossible.