#129 | Suffused With Mind: Panpsychism, Psychedelics, & Philosophy w/ Peter Sjöstedt-H
In this episode, I speak with Anglo-Scandinavian philosopher of mind Peter Sjöstedt-H on psychedelics, panpsychism, and philosophy. Peter and I discuss the resurgence of interest in psychedelics in popular culture regarding the profound, and absolutely vital, therapeutic value these substances can provide for individuals suffering from trauma and addiction. The therapeutic value of these substances is only the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to the value these substances hold for humanity’s philosophical exploration into the nature of the mind and mind's relationship with reality.
Peter elaborates on the inherent value psychedelics hold in rigorous philosophical explorations into the nature of the mind, and through the proper use of these substances, we can perceive through the severe limitations of the materialist worldview, or as Peter defines it, physicalism - “the thesis that everything is physical, or as contemporary philosophers sometimes put it, that everything supervenes on the physical.”* We discuss the validity of the philosophical concept panpsychism - “the view that mentality is fundamental and ubiquitous in the natural world”** - and that through the use of psychedelics, one can begin to understand that, in fact, the mind is fundamentally ubiquitous in all things. In order to develop a deeper understanding of consciousness, we need to apply a psychedelic approach to philosophical explorations of these subjects.
We also get into Peter’s influences research interests, in particular philosopher and mathematician Alfred North Whitehead’s “Philosophy of Organism,” and how psychedelic explorations into the work of Whitehead, as well as works of Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Arthur Schopenhauer, can yield important insights into the subjects mentioned above. Overall, this is a wide-ranging conversation that covers a variety of subjects that relate to the psychedelic experience and the philosophy of mind.
Peter Sjöstedt-H is an Anglo-Scandinavian philosopher of mind with a focus on psychedelics, panpsychism, who specializes in the thought of Whitehead, Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. Peter received a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Continental Philosophy from the University of Warwick, where he was awarded a first-class distinction for his dissertation on Kant and Schelling in relation to ‘intellectual intuition’. He subsequently became a Philosophy Lecturer in London for six years but is now engaged in his PhD at Exeter University where he also teaches philosophy modules and writing skills. Peter is the author of ‘Noumenautics’ - a collection of essays on metaphysics, meta-ethics, and psychedelics. Peter is also an inspiration behind the inhuman philosopher Marvel Superhero, Karnak.
*Source: https://stanford.io/2KvdTWl
** Source: https://stanford.io/2KjuwVA
Episode Notes:
- Learn more about Peter’s fascinating work - including his essays, interviews, and upcoming events - at his website: http://www.philosopher.eu
- Learn more and purchase Peter's book ‘Noumenautics’ - a collection of essays on metaphysics, meta-ethics, and psychedelics - at the Psychedelic Press website: http://bit.ly/2MKHwAy
- Follow Peter’s Facebook page ‘Ontologistics’ here: https://www.facebook.com/ontologistics
- Follow Peter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterSjostedtH
- The song featured in this episode is “Where Is My Mind” by The Pixies from the album Surfer Rosa.