Altered States

Research scientist Eddie Jessup, played by William Hurt believes other states of consciousness are not only as real as everyday reality, but that they hold the secret to human life which is locked away in the human genome behind millions of years of evolution. Using a sensory deprivation tank, and a hallucinogen Jessup dives face first into the human psyche and "the meaning of life".

A major theme in the movie is the “search for great truths”. Not necessarily what those truths are, but does truth even exist? Is there anything more to the human race then what we see, hear, touch, and smell everyday? Is it even worth looking for, or is it just a waste of time that one could spend living? Jessup believes so, fueled by a thirst for knowledge and a religious

uncertainty instilled as his father suffered a death that is made very clear was terrible, Jessup puts his own life on the line for his experiment. This shows that that Jessup, as brilliant as he is, is blinded by his quest. He refuses to accept life as being a the humans design. He questions happiness, and God. He also does not believe love to be a valid sentiment, this is clear when he says that his wife is content with living a normal life with him because she is “in love” with him. “Emily's quite content to go on with this life. She insists she's in love with me - whatever that is. What she means is she prefers the senseless pain we inflict on each other to the pain we would otherwise inflict on ourselves. But I'm not afraid of that solitary pain. In fact, if I don't strip myself of all this clatter and clutter and ridiculous ritual, I shall go out of my fucking mind. Does that answer your question, Arthur?”.

Soon, we find that the search for great truths is indeed fruitless. After extremely atrocious results Jessup comes to this