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)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Epistemology Literature |
| Citations | 94 |
| Key points | 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.