Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes argues that unitive experiences reported in psychedelic states, particularly those induced by 5-MeO-DMT, can be understood through Spinoza's metaphysics of monism, pantheism, panpsychism, and eternal substance. He proposes a symbiosis: Spinoza's system illuminates these psychedelic states, and such states can provide intuitive access to Spinozan ideas, potentially transforming one's relationship to self and nature.
Psychedelic experience opens up new perspectives on fundamental philosophical questions about human experience, ethics, and the metaphysics of mind. This volume argues that the place of psychedelics in society should not be left to medical sciences alone, as psychedelics reveal insights about consciousness, mysticism, dyadic thankfulness, and ways to gain new knowledge. The essays cover Western and non-Western traditions, from analytic philosophy to cross-cultural perspectives, mapping philosophical responses to the surge in cognitive science studies of psychedelic drugs.