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Richard Dawkins on Psychedelics

Faye Sakellaridis
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In this video, alternative historian and Reality Sandwich contributor Graham Hancock asks Richard Dawkins, famous anti-mystic and author of The God Delusion, about the possibility of psychedelics changing his view of reality. Dawkins responds thoughtfully about the prospect of trying LSD or mescaline, and speaks positively of those who have had the experience. Given Dawkins's reputation as a staunch atheist, his open-minded answer may surprise many of his critics. 

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Richard Dawkins

Submitted by Lygeia on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 20:16.

Richard Dawkins is a staunch anti-religionist and it is interesting to note his family fortune was built on the African slave trade. His family lost their business when slavery was outlawed in Britain in 1832. However, they had made so much money, they still remained wealthy. The man who was primarily responsible for ending the slave trade in Britain was an ordained Christian minister. This may be why Richard Dawkins is anti-religion; religion cost his family their source of income.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9091007/Slaves-at-the-root-of-the...

It's completely unfair to

Submitted by Faye Sakellaridis on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 23:13.
It's completely unfair to accuse Dawkins of being an atheist because his family generations before him lost out on money. He's clearly passionate about his ideas, and has proven himself well-versed and intelligent. To ignore all that and reduce his life's work to his family's past is specious at best. It is, as the article states, an "awkward revelation," and most likely nothing more. Without compelling evidence, I find it to be an incredibly distasteful and unthoughtful accusation.

I think that accusation was made tongue in cheek, but this isnt

Submitted by art_cryme on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 12:32.

Genetics and environment are the totality of a person. Dawkins' disavowal of his family history speaks volumes. Instead of apologizing for the actions of his ancestors, and reflecting on how not to repeat them, he describes the revelation of simple fact as a "smear tactic." Like most of the predator class, he is in deep ego denial about his role here, as he operates from the same arrogant, elitist mentality as his forbears.

thanks

Submitted by undrgrndgirl on Mon, 08/27/2012 - 14:29.

thanks for the info. 

intelligence is not a replacement for anger, resentment, loss of entitlement, etc...

Richard Dawkins

Submitted by david exo on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 06:09.

Richard Dawkins is an angry, frustrated intellectual, totally at odds with himself. He is a textbook example of how a life of left-brain ‘education’ inevitably leads a man into the cul de sac of ignorance and despair–as demonstrated by his naive speculations on the effects of psychedelics.

I hope he gets to take ayahuasca...

Boy, is he in for a surprise!

Ayahuasca...

Submitted by deometer on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 23:05.
Ayahuasca was the one I had in mind for Dawkins to take!  Would love to see him, Lawrence Krauss, and Neil DeGrasse Tyson (among others) undergo at least one session and discuss it afterwords.  Would also make for a fascinating documentary - 'When the Scientist Met the Shaman' (or something to that effect).

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As I mention above and in

Submitted by red rose on Tue, 03/05/2013 - 22:44.
As I mention above and in that post, would love to see them undergo at least one session (in this case, ayahuasca) and discuss it in a group setting afterwords. Juego-gratis

Dawkins

Submitted by onetrilliondiamonds on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 12:10.
I have no doubt that given the opp. to take Ayahuasca, Mr. Dawkins would AT THE VERY LEAST go from being an atheist to being an agnostic, if not outright spiritual. It would be interesting to see if he takes up Graham Hancock's proposition...

So so happy Graham asked him this!!!

Submitted by deometer on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 23:38.

And in such an eloquent and all-encompassing manner! It was exactly what I have wanted to ask him (and people like him), but the best version of it possible. I actually proposed a series on it to the Science Channel (they had a "We want to hear from you!" thread on one of their boards), but to have it to extend to an even wider number of notable scientists (from a broad range of fields - including the likes of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Lawrence M Krauss, David Eagleman, Sam Harris, etc...). The full "pitch"/set-up can be found at this link:

 

http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3271991318/m/594191140...

(posted as deometer about 10 posts down)

 

As I mention above and in that post, would love to see them undergo at least one session (in this case, ayahuasca) and discuss it in a group setting afterwords.  

It is a bit disheartening to see Dawkins deflect with his "God-helmet" experience, but I'm glad to know the question is on his radar.  Maybe you can offer to take him on a trip with you, Graham!  He won't find a better, more safe, more secure, more informed setting than with an experienced shaman.

Wow

Submitted by criticalmass on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 01:10.
This totally changed my perception of Richard Dawkins. Just from the audio he seems very genuine and kind; I always assumed the guy was very arrogant and pompous from the little material I've read by him. I'd love to see some footage of him experiencing a good dose of plant wisdom....he seems to be honest and openminded enough to give it an honest go.  And really, if there's anything out there that could totally change someone like Dawkins' thinking, a good pyschedelic session is probably it.  Something that mystifies and generally bypasses the rational intellect.  You can't argue or out-debate the "Other" as easily as another person standing at the podium opposite yours, haha.  And how fucking cool would it be if someone with real athestic clout like this came over to the other side publicly...

An experiment that no scientist should be afraid to conduct

Submitted by Peter Meyer on Sun, 08/19/2012 - 00:27.
After a full-on DMT experience, a solid dose of psilocybin mushrooms, or 250 mikes of acid, I believe Richard Dawkins could continue to ridicule (and properly so) the 'God Hypothesis', provided he means 'God' = the Christian God, but I doubt that he could retain his physicalist belief (or rather, faith) that consciousness is a product of brain activity. But I doubt that we'll be seeing any reports of his trying this experiment any time soon, despite his claim to be a scientist.

I've been under the

Submitted by SurrealistImpression on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 10:14.
I've been under the impression for long time now that atheists are -for the most part-just folks who haven't dropped enough acid (or comparable psychedelics). First hand experience of something Greater than one's self always speaks better than parroting dogma with no reference to reality. (Previous commenters, I hear ya.) Dawkins would have his Cartesian mind blown and blown wide open, thus, he leans on the qualification that his use should "only be within a scientific framework" - now, how's that for chicken - not only can he set aside his curiosity, he can legitimize his fear by the fact that it'll be long time before any governments anywhere would just allow him to walk into a lab situation, sit down, and tune in. Most psychedelic pioneers I know are twelve times as fearless as Dawkins ever was. Sam Harris at least tried it, but, (apparently) his fear factor led him to discount the experience as well. Too bad. For the most part it seems to me Dawkins (et al) have spent a grand long time now ridiculing indigenous spiritual belief and practices as "superstition." But you know, I don't happen to know any Native American atheists. It seems the antitheistic faction presumes a cultural chauvinism when it claims to know- capital K- what's going on around us based purely on visual data, and discounting all subjective experience a priori. It isn't my intention to "join the debate"- just making a point. At least he tried the tin hat. Somebody, dose that man!

while it is fun to muse...

Submitted by undrgrndgirl on Mon, 08/27/2012 - 14:38.
on dawkins taking psychedelics...i think the whole experience would be lost on him. he is so wrapped up in the materialistic/scientific (scientism) world view that i don't think he is capable of a spiritual (non material) experience. so much so that i think he would deny he had a spiritual experience even if he had one...he's too invested in atheism to admit otherwise.

Dawkins needs a heroic dose...

Submitted by trapped_in_time on Thu, 09/13/2012 - 04:17.
Wow. This exact question has been on my mind ever since I read Dawkins book, The God Delusion. I've always felt that Dawkins is far too narrow minded and utterly lacking in what Terence Mckenna calls "the felt-presence of experience". Very succinctly speaking, he needs a 'heroic dose' of true reality. Dawkins, like his legions of atheist followers, is so consumed with exposing organized religion for its fallacies, that he has completely missed the obvious spiritual mystery surrounding our dimensional existence. Einstein seemed to get it. Notice how Dawkins's drone-followers applaud like lab rats upon the culmination of his every response. I find it perplexing that this man is so revered as a modern 'intellectual'. I would love to see him have his third eye opened and he shed that ego he so desperately clings to.

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