[unspun]

these personal "experiences" are well within the generative capability of our material brains and indeed may be be self directed to a significant degree. And while that may not make them any less real to the person involved, it limits any real discussion of them to vague analogy and meaningless philosophical noise.

B6, "to a significant degree?" I appreciate the hedge.

And what is it when functional information that does not come by a process of thought is gained by means of such an experience? And what is it when it is grosly improbable for this information to be gained by means of even intuition (whatever that is)?

[balrog666]

B6, "to a significant degree?" I appreciate the hedge.

Perhaps, "consciously" directed would have been a more descriptive phrase.

And what is it when functional information that does not come by a process of thought is gained by means of such an experience? And what is it when it is grosly improbable for this information to be gained by means of even intuition (whatever that is)?

Lucid dreaming is not "thought"? I disagree.
And intuition is not a valid thought process? Talk to any briliiant mathematician or a chess master. So, ditto.