In 'Neuropsychedelia,' Nicolas Langlitz explores the intersection of neuroscience and psychedelic experience, delving into how altered states of consciousness can reshape our understanding of the mind. Through a captivating blend of history, science, and personal narratives, Langlitz challenges conventional wisdom about mental health and spirituality. The book invites readers to reconsider the potential of psychedelics as tools for self-discovery and healing. As Langlitz uncovers the rich landscape of neuropsychedelic research, he raises profound questions about identity and reality. This thought-provoking journey will leave you pondering the limits of human perception and the mysteries of the brain.
By Nicolas Langlitz
Published: 2013
"In the exploration of consciousness, the boundaries of the mind dissolve, revealing not only the depths of our psyche but the very fabric of reality itself."
Neuropsychedelia examines the revival of psychedelic science since the "Decade of the Brain." After the breakdown of this previously prospering area of psychopharmacology, and in the wake of clashes between counterculture and establishment in the late 1960s, a new generation of hallucinogen researchers used the hype around the neurosciences in the 1990s to bring psychedelics back into the mainstream of science and society. This book is based on anthropological fieldwork and philosophical reflections on life and work in two laboratories that have played key roles in this development: a human lab in Switzerland and an animal lab in California. It sheds light on the central transnational axis of the resurgence connecting American psychedelic culture with the home country of LSD. In the borderland of science and religion, Neuropsychedelia explores the tensions between the use of hallucinogens to model psychoses and to evoke spiritual experiences in laboratory settings. Its protagonists, including the anthropologist himself, struggle to find a place for the mystical under conditions of late-modern materialism.
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“In the exploration of consciousness, the boundaries of the mind dissolve, revealing not only the depths of our psyche but the very fabric of reality itself.”
Neuropsychedelia
By Nicolas Langlitz
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Nicolas Langlitz is an acclaimed author and cultural anthropologist known for his insightful explorations of contemporary science and technology. He has authored notable works including "Care of the Species: Cultivating the Imagination of the Environment" and "Neuroscience and the Soul: Will Science Ever Replace Philosophy?" Langlitz's writing is characterized by a deep engagement with interdisciplinary themes, blending ethnographic research with philosophical inquiry, and is marked by clarity, rigor, and a compelling narrative style.
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