'More evolved than you': Evolutionary spirituality as a cultural frame for psychedelic experiences.
Front Psychol March 27, 2023 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1103847 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Mysticism |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Psychedelic experiences Hallucinogens Entheogens Altered states Spirituality Spiritual evolution Spiritual growth Inner journey Personal growth Self-improvement Self-actualization Transformation Human potential Personal development Expanded consciousness Awareness Mind |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key points | Argues that the evolutionary spirituality tradition, which frames psychedelics as tools for guided human evolution, has five ethical limitations including spiritual narcissism, contempt for the less-evolved, Social Darwinism, spiritual eugenics, and illiberal utopian politics. |
Abstract
One of the dominant cultural frames for psychedelics in western culture over last 130 years has been evolutionary spirituality. This tradition suggests human evolution is not finished and can be guided towards the creation of higher beings through such techniques as psychedelics and eugenics or genetic modification. But is everyone evolving into a new species, or just an elite? This essay defines the tradition of evolutionary spirituality and points to five of the ethical limitations of the tradition - its tendency to spiritual narcissism, contempt for the less-evolved masses, Social Darwinism and Malthusianism, spiritual eugenics, and illiberal utopian politics-before suggesting responses to these limitations.