Psychedelic therapies and belief change: are there risks of epistemic harm or epistemic injustice?
Philosophical Psychology June 3, 2024 M. Zeller
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies may alter patients' metaphysical or mystical beliefs, which some critics argue causes epistemic harm by conflicting with philosophical naturalism. This paper contends that such accusations risk committing epistemic injustice by dismissing non-naturalistic beliefs under a presumption of superiority, thereby invalidating patients' subjective experiences. The authors argue that fostering exotic metaphysical beliefs in these therapies is medically and epistemically benign, as the primary goal is improving mental health, not instilling specific convictions. They advocate for epistemic pluralism over naturalism, emphasizing respect for patients' epistemic agency and cognitive liberty, and conclude that therapeutic outcomes should take priority over the content of beliefs elicited.