Skip to content

Self and Knowledge in Psychedelic Therapy

Chris Letheby

Philosophy and the Mind Sciences April 19, 2022 DOI: 10.33735/phimisci.2022.9642 (opens in new tab)

Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Topics Psychedelic-assisted therapy
Keywords Approach Self-understanding Self-concept Self-knowledge Self-perception Understand ourselves Self know-how Self-shaping Insight Knowledge benefits Positive epistemic gains Enhanced understanding Personal growth Self-transformation Self-improvement
Citations 6
Key points Argues that psychedelic therapy works mainly by changing mental representations of the self and has epistemic benefits consistent with a naturalistic worldview, while defending these claims against various objections.

Abstract

Much of my book Philosophy of Psychedelics is devoted to elaborating and defending two basic claims: that psychedelic therapy works mainly by changing mental representations of the self, and that it has many epistemic benefits consistent with a naturalistic worldview. The commentaries in this symposium generally focus on one or the other of these claims. On the mechanistic front, the commentaries by Hoffman and by Martin and Sterzer seek to supplement my account by drawing attention to factors it does not emphasize. In this reply I agree with most of their claims, but propose some important qualifications. Meanwhile, the commentaries by Lyon and Farrenikova and by Colombo challenge some core commitments of my account. I agree with many of their claims, but defend some of these core commitments. On the epistemological front, Bortolotti and Murphy-Hollies endorse the overall shape of my account and make some productive connections to ideas concerning agency-first epistemology and self know-how. Caporuscio brings into play the idea of self-shaping, which connects to self know-how, but argues against certain core claims of my account. I endorse many of these claims about agency-first, self know-how, and self-shaping, but propose some important qualifications. Finally, Fink agrees that psychedelic experiences can have some epistemic benefits, but argues that these do not pertain to epistemic justification, and that the main benefit is increased understanding. I am sympathetic to Fink’s proposal about understanding, but criticize some of his arguments for the thesis of Psychedelic Justification Impossibilism.

Comparable studies

Other theoretical and historical papers on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. 2024 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance 2020 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Awe: a putative mechanism underlying the effects of classic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy 2018 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy 2021 Theoretical or philosophical paper
Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. 2022 Theoretical or philosophical paper

Citations in the library

Cited by 3

Related reading

Explore topics

Psychedelic-assisted therapy