Drug Experience and “Mystical” Experience: Reflections on the Problem of Comparison
Journal of Drug Issues July 1, 1977 DOI: 10.1177/002204267700700304 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Key points | Argues that comparisons between drug-induced ecstasy and religious mysticism rest on unexamined assumptions and are shaped by the social context in which they are made, and calls for caution in claiming analogies or similarities between the two kinds of experience. |
Abstract
The concern of this article is to examine the conceptual framework within which drug-induced ecstasy has been compared to and/or used to interpret religious mysticism. No attempt is made to theorize about the “true” nature of either kind of experience; rather the author articulates the underlying assumptions and examines the social setting within which such discussions are carried on. The modest conclusion of the essay is a plea for caution in claiming analogies and similarities between the two kinds of experience.