Agency-First Epistemology of Psychedelics
Lisa Bortolotti, Kathleen Murphy-hollies
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences April 19, 2022 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.33735/phimisci.2022.9283
Summary
Letheby's book discusses the philosophical issues surrounding psychedelic drugs, particularly focusing on epistemological concerns. The paper argues for an agency-first approach to epistemic evaluation, which emphasizes the skills that individuals must develop to achieve their knowledge-related goals.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | An agency-first approach is necessary for proper epistemic evaluation in the context of psychedelic drug use. |
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Abstract
Letheby’s book is an engaging and crystal-clear exploration of the philosophical issues raised by the use of psychedelic drugs. In this paper, we focus on the epistemological issues Letheby examines in chapter 8 and argue that his analysis requires an agency-first approach to epistemic evaluation. On an agency-first approach, epistemic evaluation is about identifying the skills agents needs to acquire in order to pursue and fulfil their epistemic goals.