What, Why & How do we Know ?
Interesting to see Modafinil presented by the Academy of Medical Sciences as boosting brain power in this BBC News Story. Like Amphetamine it induces wakefulness, but unlike the psychedelics doesn’t seem to act on dopamine / norepinephrine receptors directly, yet still seems to produce the “enlightening” effect.
I was about to post a link to Sue Blackmore’s piece about Albert Hofmann’s 100th birthday party, which she had published in the Times Higher Education Supplement, mainly to continue the ongoing psychedelics thread I have within Psybertron. I did post the link of course, but in re-reading it, I noticed her final paragraph is … Continue reading “Wisdom of LSD”
Continuing the thread on psychedelics place in the study of consciousness, here is a bang up to date “scientific” study on the use of Peyote – OK so it’s from the media school of “Today US researchers announced …”, but it’s current and credible. [BeliefNet via Scott over at MoQ Discuss.] Damned by faint praise … Continue reading “Current Peyote Reference”
The theme of altered states of consciousness – drug induced or otherwise – keeps cropping-up in debates about consciousness in general and enlightenment in particular. Came across this Psychedelic Library whilst following up Aldous Huxley in my ever growing reading list. In this Huxley Paper (from 1963 Playboy !) “Culture and the Individual” I loved … Continue reading “Having Fun With Funghi”
Did Timothy Leary really say that (as Dave Pollard quotes) ? You learn something every day. Pretty much every linguistic representation or explanation of anything is metaphor at root, dead or alive, (Lakoff et al) , so no argument with the sentiment. Can I have some of what he’s having ? Maybe not, as Dave … Continue reading “Science is Metaphor”