The enculturation problem

The enculturation problem concerns how to integrate the psychedelic experience into society in a rational, evidence-based, and ethically convincing way. Framed as an issue for applied ethics and policy-making, it involves harm reduction, technology assessment, and ethically informed legal regulation. The chapter argues that solving this problem requires developing a genuine 'culture of consciousness' (Bewussteinskultur).

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract The ‘enculturation problem’ is the problem of how to integrate the psychedelic experience into culture and societal practice, in a way that is rational, evidence-based, and ethically convincing. In a first-order approximation, the enculturation problem can be framed as a problem for applied ethics and policy-making: How can the psychedelic experience be culturally integrated in a way that minimizes risks and maximizes benefits for society as a whole? Viewed in this way, the enculturation problem centrally involves harm reduction, technology assessment, and ethically informed innovation in the domain of legal regulation. This chapter examines various aspects of the problem in detail and offers some suggestions about how it might be solved. It argues that part of what is needed is the development of a genuine Bewussteinskultur, or ‘culture of consciousness’.