Authenticity and Love Drugs: Insights from Psychedelic Therapy.
AJOB Neuroscience June 16, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2025.2517007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Love drugs Authenticity Psychoactive drugs Ethical considerations Moral implications Rethinking ethics Genuine feelings Inauthentic emotions Real emotions Validity of experience Drug-assisted therapy Profound therapy Lasting positive change |
| Key points | Argues that love drugs should not be viewed as immoral if they foster transformative, meaningful experiences that align with personal beliefs and desires, challenging the perceived inauthenticity of such interventions. |
Abstract
In "Prescription for Love: An Experimental Investigation of Laypeople's Relative Moral Disapproval of Love Drugs," Lantian, Boudesseul, and Cova (2024) explore the moral implications of hypothetical romantic love-enhancing biotechnological interventions. Their study reveals "love drugs" (LDs) are viewed as less acceptable than psychological therapy due to the perceived inauthenticity of the resulting feelings. This highlights the importance of authenticity and naturalness in moral evaluations of emotion. However, we suggest the distinction between organic and artificial experiences is less clear than it seems, and that humans can draw meaning from many situations. Drawing parallels with psychedelic-assisted therapy, we propose emotions from LDs could also be meaningful and authentic, if they foster long-term positive change and align with personal beliefs and desires. Feelings we characterize as natural are also shaped by external stimuli that influence brain function. Where LDs can support transformative, meaningful experiences, they should not be viewed as immoral.