This Is Your Brain on Drugs: A Review of Chris Letheby’s Philosophy of Psychedelics
Journal of Contemplative Studies June 25, 2026 DOI: 10.57010/lxkt3799 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA philosophy of psychedelics is now broadly relevant due to mainstream interest, scientific investigation, therapeutic trials, entrepreneurial enterprise, and decriminalization of natural psychedelics in several American states. Chris Letheby's Philosophy of Psychedelics is the first monograph to apply the term as an unelaborated title, backed by Oxford University Press, projecting the authority of an academic urtext that could define a renewed and newly legitimate field of inquiry.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Mainstream Field mathematics Natural archaeology Subject documents Consciousness |
| Key finding | Argues that Chris Letheby's Philosophy of Psychedelics projects the authority of a wide-ranging academic urtext that could define a renewed and newly legitimate field of inquiry. |
Abstract
What is, or what should be, a philosophy of psychedelics? This question has never been so broadly relevant, given the groundswell of mainstream interest and experimentation, scientific investigation, therapeutic trials, entrepreneurial enterprise, and decriminalization of natural psychedelics in several American states. Chris Letheby’s Philosophy of Psychedelics is the first monograph to apply the term as an unelaborated title that, with the backing of Oxford University Press, projects the authority of a wide-ranging academic urtext that could define a renewed and newly legitimate field of inquiry.