Can Psychedelics Provide Insights into Consciousness?

INSIGHT 2023 Replay from the Philosophy Track:

Talk – Psychedelics and the Neurophenomenology of Consciousness
Dr. Christopher Timmermann
President, Foundation for the Study of Human Consciousness (Chile & UK)
Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London

Psychedelics are often praised as powerful tools for accessing deeper layers of consciousness, yet the scientific understanding of how they shape human experience remains fragmented. In this thought-provoking talk, Dr. Christopher Timmermann integrates findings from neuroscience, anthropology, and psychology to examine how psychedelics contribute to the (de)construction of the self and to our broader understanding of consciousness.

Key themes include:

The contextually embedded nature of consciousness — shaped by brain, body, history, and culture

The promise of a neurophenomenological approach that centers lived experience in psychedelic research

Introduction of the concept of psychedelic apprenticeship, a framework for ethically grounded psychedelic therapy

Exploration of the ethical dilemmas in psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly around the formation of false memories or unintended ‘mind-revealing’ insights

Dr. Timmermann advocates for taking first-person experience seriously in both research and therapy. His multiscale model of consciousness challenges reductionist views and promotes a more holistic, ethically responsible path forward for psychedelic science and practice.

This is just one of over 50 talks from the vibrant INSIGHT 2023 conference.
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All proceeds go toward advancing safe, evidence-based psychedelic therapies in Europe and beyond.