A brief history of getting high
Luminous: A Podcast about the Science, Philosophy and Culture of PsychedelicsShow Notes
It’s remarkable how fast psychedelics have gone mainstream. Just look at how so many major universities are racing to set up their own psychedelic institutes. Psilocybin and MDMA are now considered the most promising treatments for depression and PTSD that we’ve had in decades. But this is not the first time psychoactive drugs were hailed as miracle cures. Heroin and cocaine were also once considered wonder drugs. Today, what’s so striking is how the public conversation about psychedelics ignores this deeper history of intoxicants. British historian Mike Jay wants to challenge this narrative of psychedelic “exceptionalism.” In his book “Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind,” he digs into the 19th century’s rich history of psychoactive experiences — and tells the story of seminal figures like Humphry Davy, Sigmund Freud and William James – and lots of other people I’d never heard of. Jay is also upfront about his own psychedelic experiences. He’s had plenty of them. And he believes the scientists and doctors who study psychedelics should talk more openly about their own mind-altering experiences — which is definitely not the case for most of them. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:08:05 The First Psychonauts 00:20:25 Freud, Cocaine and Ambition 00:28:35 William James on Nitrous Oxide 00:38:45 What You Bring Back —
Bio: Mike Jay
Book: "Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind"
Nautilus: "Why Scientists Need to Get High"
More from Luminous: A Podcast about the Science, Philosophy and Culture of Psychedelics
We all know Timothy Leary, the high priest of ‘60s psychedelia, but his partner, Rosemary Woodruff Leary, has largely been forgotten. She also had a remarkable life, even breaking Leary out of prison with the help of the Weather Underground. Now, biographer Susannah Cahalan tells her story — from the heady Sixties to a life on the run for decades. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:40 Before Timothy Leary 00:10:40 Millbrook 00:20:00 Prison Break and Exile 00:36:00 Twenty Years as an Innkeeper —
Thomas Metzinger is a renowned German philosopher. He has a longtime fascination with psychedelics, stemming from his own experience and also from his work as an analytic philosopher. He says altered states of consciousness give us profound insights into the nature of the mind. And he believes modern society has an ethical imperative to foster a “culture of consciousness.” — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:10 Is There Knowledge in These States 00:06:55 Metzinger's Own Experiences 00:19:45 When It Backfires 00:28:15 A Concrete Proposal — Bio: Thomas Metzinger
Most psychedelic stories are highly personal, but there’s a different dynamic when two people share the experience — especially a married couple. Steve talks with theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser and clinical psychologist Kari Gleiser about their transformative experiences. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:08:45 A Physicist's First Journey 00:17:30 Reattaching Mind and Body 00:26:15 Kari's Clinical Practice 00:44:00 What a Shared Trip Opens Up —
Chris Timmerman is a neuroscientist with a deep interest in phenomenology—what’s actually happening in our minds during psychedelic experiences. He leads the DMT Research Group at Imperial College, where he’s found that a single psychedelic experience can transform a person’s belief system, often turning materialists into panpsychists. In this wide-ranging conversation, Steve talks with Chris about everything from fractals and ayahuasca ceremonies to whether scientists who study psychedelics should talk openly about their own experiences. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:06:40 Why Study Non-Ordinary States 00:16:05 What DMT Does to the Brain 00:29:15 Entities and Scientific Caution 00:49:40 The Questions Still Open — Bio: Chris Timmermann
Buddhist meditation and psychedelic journeys have a lot of shared DNA—both take you deep inside your mind and can change your life. But many Buddhists say psychedelics violate the prohibition against intoxicants. Do they? Spring Washam straddles this divide as both a Buddhist teacher and founder of an ayahuasca church. Her own story is fascinating—how she’s merged these two practices. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:30 Finding Buddhism in Oakland 00:12:55 When the Boat Cracked 00:25:10 Two Traditions, Both True 00:42:05 A Church in Georgia — Bio: Spring Washam