Creativity
Psychedelic Experience October 26, 2023 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198843757.003.0008
Summary
Psychedelics and meditation can enhance creativity by revealing unconscious ideas and creative processes, rather than solely creating new ones. While some instances of psychedelic-induced creativity may involve mind-creation, the chapter argues that many cases are likely due to mind-revelation. It reviews empirical evidence supporting the idea that both psychedelics and meditation enhance creativity through this revealing process.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Psychedelics and meditation enhance creativity by revealing unconscious ideas and creative processes. |
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Abstract
Abstract This chapter addresses another potential objection to the hypothesis that psychedelics reveal the mind: if psychedelics induce creativity and the generation of novel ideas, then this suggests that they are mind-creating, rather than mind-revealing. The chapter argues that while some cases of psychedelic-induced creativity are instances of mind-creation, other cases are likely due to mind-revelation. After reviewing the science of human creativity and related unconscious processes, the chapter argues that psychedelics (and meditation) can enhance creativity by revealing unconscious ideas and creative processes. The chapter also reviews the empirical evidence that meditation and psychedelics tend to enhance creativity and assesses to what extent this evidence indicates that they do so via the revelation of the mind.