003: Manesh Girn | The Science of Psychedelics, Consciousness, and Mystical Experiences with The Psychedelic Scientist
“It comes down to a leap of faith almost. Are you gonna allow yourself to extrapolate from neuroscience research that consciousness is just limited to the brain and that we live in this lifeless, material Newtonian universe? Or, is consciousness the ground of all experience in the universe and sense perception is occurring within this, and that consciousness is this formless ground that exists, perceiving all form and manifestation?”
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In this episode we talk about:
Manesh’s work with Robin Carhart-Harris
The Default Mode Network and Neuroplasticity
Ego dissolution and mystical experiences
The lack of research in microdosing psychedelics
The similarities and differences between the four classic psychedelics
Expectation effects around psychedelic experiences
The complicated neuropharmacology of Iboga
Why Iboga and other psychedelics are so effective for treating addiction
How to measure mystical experiences in research
“Second-generation psychedelics” without the trip
The call for philosophical openness in science
Newtonian versus Quantum views on consciousness
Personality changes from psychedelic use
LISTEN
“I think people need to become more philosophically open and become more aware of their assumptions and biases. People automatically assume “of course we live in a material universe.” The idea that consciousness is fundamental is quackery or nonsense. People assume that their idea of material reality being primary is a proven fact, when at the end of the day, it’s a philosophical assumption that’s taken on a leap of faith that we can’t know objectively or certainly. What’s needed is greater philosophical education for scientists to understand their biases and understand when they’re talking about what’s objectively shown by research, and when they’re bringing in philosophical or metaphysical assumptions about the nature of reality ”
Mentioned in the episode:
Manesh’s YouTube channel
Manesh’s video on Default Mode Network
Research on meditation reducing activity in the Default Mode Network
Johns Hopkins mystical experience study
“Psychedelics without the trip” - Manesh’s video on second-generation psychedelics + the studies
Matthew Johnson’s research on the nature of consciousness and the “hard problem:” of consciousness [1, 2]
Manesh’s research on psychedelics and creativity
Manesh’s research on Expanding the Scientific Study of Self-Experience with Psychedelics
Manesh’s research on LSD flattens the functional hierarchy of the human brain
Where to find Manesh:
Manesh is currently a PhD student in Neuroscience at McGill University and has been lead or co-author on over a dozen scientific publications and book chapters on topics including psychedelics, meditation, daydreaming, and the default-mode network. He is currently conducting research on the brain mechanisms underlying LSD, psilocybin, and DMT, in collaboration with Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris and others from the Imperial College London Center for Psychedelic Research. In his free time, he also runs a YouTube channel - called The Psychedelic Scientist - where he discusses the latest findings in psychedelic science in an easy to understand, but non-superficial, form.
“Psychedelics have huge potential for opening up people up to more integrated, harmonious, honest, integrated, free, loving, calm ways of living if used correctly in the right context and with the right integration.”
