Moving Past Mysticism in Psychedelic Science
James W. Sanders, Josjan Zijlmans
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science May 4, 2021 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00097 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe mysticism framework, often used to characterize psychedelic experiences and explain therapeutic outcomes, carries risks because it is tied to supernatural or nonempirical belief systems. The authors encourage researchers to adopt a demystified model of the psychedelic state to mitigate these risks.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Psychology Epistemology Philosophy Art |
| Citations | 94 |
| Key finding | Argues that the mysticism framework for psychedelic experiences poses risks due to its supernatural associations, and proposes a demystified model as an alternative. |
Abstract
The mysticism framework is used to describe psychedelic experiences and explain the effects of psychedelic therapies. We discuss risks and difficulties stemming from the scientific use of a framework associated with supernatural or nonempirical belief systems and encourage researchers to mitigate these risks with a demystified model of the psychedelic state.