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Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs

nature.com

1–10 of 258 posts

Re: Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs

#5
The overall result does not surprise me, but two things in particular did:

1. That materialism is much less popular than I expected. I wonder how much is due to selection bias.

2. That idealism didn't enjoy a bigger bump than it did. I predict that dose size would correlate with increase in idealist views, as larger doses are more frequently nondual, and nondual experiences tend to inspire idealist beliefs.

I myself think there are various strong reasons to believe in idealism. I've written about them here: https://www.essentiafoundation.org/reading/on-the-self-valid...

Re: Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs

#6

My experience has been that just as fast as the walls come down, the mind builds them back up.

Reminds me of this section from a fantastic trip report:

"My hardcore materialist atheism was beginning to be challenged. But my identity was so solidly based on my materialist atheism that I soon attributed the entire experience to merely a "drug trip" with no meaning for my life!

Perhaps the greatest lesson here is that. No matter what you experience, your identity can write it off as unreal if it conflicts with who you think you are."

http://tafkajestdr.blogspot.com/2013/01/intro-to-tafka-jestd...

Re: Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs

#8

I used to be a pretty frequent psychedelic user. These results sound right to me. I would've considered panpsychism to be totally absurd before I discovered LSD, for instance. Now it's my daily driver.

I've had the same experience. Can't shake the idea that `consciousness == god` and we are all tiny manifestations of this "essence", after some psychedelic trips.

My rational mind always goes back to atheism when sober, but the idea is always there in the back of my mind.

Re: Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs

#9

I used to be a pretty frequent psychedelic user. These results sound right to me. I would've considered panpsychism to be totally absurd before I discovered LSD, for instance. Now it's my daily driver.

I think panpsychism just needs to be explained well and probably most people would be onboard with the idea or at least comfortable accepting it. I thought it was a little wild at first but after reading "Galileo's Error" by Phillip Goff it seems ok. Panspychism it self covers so many theories too.

In my personal experience psychedelic use seemed to almost solidify materialism for me. The idea that reality, your self and soul is nothing but an illusion is uncomfortable but I think tripping can reinforce that idea.

Re: Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs

#10

I used to be a pretty frequent psychedelic user. These results sound right to me. I would've considered panpsychism to be totally absurd before I discovered LSD, for instance. Now it's my daily driver.

Can you elaborate on panpsychism being your daily driver? Wikipedia article suggests it has something to do with minds being present throughout the universe. Are we talking animals? Rocks? Everything? Computers?
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