Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, has expressed positivity towards the therapeutic potential of psychedelics during a public discussion. The speed of change surrounding the acceptance of psychedelics is notable and can be seen in the changing attitudes towards substances such as opium, previously used by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union to relax with their "women's tonics."
The speaker talks about the need to remove stigmas from topics such as prolonged life extension and the use of psychedelics and MDMA in scientific research for treating serious conditions. They indicate their effort to redirect their start-up capital and energy to support scientific research.
As experimental psychologist and author Michael Pollan highlights, psychedelics have the potential to offer powerful insights into the human mind, and it is worth keeping abreast of the latest research and scientific papers in the field.
Dr. Will Van Derveer discusses how psychedelics and other rituals such as fasting and meditation can contribute to the religious experience. He also explores the mystical experiences created by psychedelics and their potential benefits for mental health.
The promising results of early experiments with LSD sparked a thriving field of psychedelic research in the US during the mid-20th century.
The intersection of neuroscience and technology could lead to expanding the capabilities of the human mind beyond what psychedelics can offer. AI paired with methods from the archaeology of consciousness may prove to be a winning combination for the future.