Neuropsychedelia: the revival of hallucinogen research since the decade of the brain
Choice Reviews Online – July 23, 2013
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, profoundly shifts perception, revealing its potential as a "spiritual technology." In neuropsychopharmacology trials involving 150 individuals, 85% reported profound mystical experiences, often perceiving a sense of Divinity. This work in psychology and psychoanalysis explores how these states, akin to those inspiring great Art, challenge materialism. Psychedelics and drug studies illuminate humanity's enduring quest for meaning, drawing parallels with art history's depictions of altered consciousness.
Abstract
Acknowledgments Introduction: Neuropsychopharmacology as Spiritual Technology 1. Psychedelic Revival 2. Swiss Psilocybin and US Dollars 3. The Varieties of Psychedelic Lab Experience 4. Enacting Experimental Psychoses 5. Between Animality and Divinity 6. Mystic Materialism Conclusion: Fieldwork in Perennial Philosophy Notes Bibliography Index