Oxford University Press eBooks
August 1, 2021
Chris Letheby
A philosophical monograph examines whether psychedelic therapy conflicts with naturalism—the view that only the natural world exists. The book reviews evidence that LSD and psilocybin, given safely in controlled settings, can reduce anxiety, depression, and addiction and improve well-being for months or years, often through 'mystical' experiences. This raises a concern: Do psychedelics work by inducing false metaphysical beliefs? The author concludes this 'Comforting Delusion Objection' fails. Exotic metaphysical ideas arise but are not the main driver of change; instead, psychedelics alter the sense of self and one's relationship to their mind. Controlled psychedelic use can yield genuine knowledge and spiritual growth within a naturalistic framework.
PsyArXiv
July 8, 2021
Chris Letheby
preprint
The book Philosophy of Psychedelics addresses the Comforting Delusion Objection, which questions the ethical and epistemic validity of psychedelic therapy because it may induce non-naturalistic metaphysical beliefs. The author argues that while exotic metaphysical ideas sometimes arise, they are not the primary driver of therapeutic change. Instead, psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD produce benefits by altering the sense of self and changing how people relate to their own minds and lives. This reconciles an 'Entheogenic Conception' of psychedelics—viewing them as agents of insight and spirituality—with naturalism, the view that the natural world is all there is. Controlled psychedelic use can lead to genuine knowledge and spiritual growth even without a cosmic consciousness or divine reality.
Philosophical Perspectives on Psychedelic Psychiatry
September 13, 2024
Samir Chopra, Chris Letheby
By examining extraordinary psychedelic experiences, particularly those that induce forgiveness, we can gain insight into ordinary moral life. This chapter argues that studying altered moral cognition reveals the importance of coherence and dissonance between thoughts and emotions in moral experience. It supports unconventional ideas about moral phenomenology and psychology, suggesting that transformative psychedelic experiences can inform our understanding of moral experience without claiming they are safe or effective for moral enhancement.
Philosophy of Psychedelics
August 1, 2021
Chris Letheby
This chapter introduces the central question of whether the therapeutic use of psychedelics conflicts with philosophical naturalism, the view that only the natural world exists. Recent findings show that controlled psychedelic administration can produce lasting psychological benefits for healthy subjects and psychiatric patients, and evidence suggests these benefits are mediated by 'mystical-type' experiences. For naturalists, this raises a concern: do psychedelics cause benefits by inducing non-naturalistic beliefs in a cosmic consciousness or divine Reality? The chapter outlines a plan to answer this 'Comforting Delusion Objection' by arguing that psychedelic therapy is acceptable even if naturalism is true, because its epistemic risks are smaller than they appear and it also has epistemic benefits consistent with naturalism.