Psychedelic experiences and knowledge acquisition

Abstract

This paper examines the potential for psychedelic experiences to facilitate knowledge acquisition by enhancing creative thought processes. Initially, the discussion is framed between entheogenic and psychotomimetic conceptions of psychedelic experiences, highlighting the historical and philosophical contention surrounding the reliability of insights gained during psychedelic experiences. But despite traditional skepticism outlined by the Argument from Alterity, which suggests that psychedelic experiences either provide redundant or unreliable knowledge, this paper challenges such conclusions and argues that psychedelic experiences can indeed help us acquire knowledge. Central to this argument is how psychedelic experiences alter our perception and cognition to boost creativity. This enhanced creativity drives the generation of new ideas, which in turn is fundamental to acquiring new knowledge. Thus, by enhancing creativity, psychedelic experiences can play a crucial role in the process of knowledge acquisition.