Submitted by Rifkin the Historian on
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Breakthroughs in philosophy have often been linked to the use of psychedelics. Keep reading to learn about the famous philosophers who were extremely lit.
Plato
Popularly known as the father of Western philosophy, he would consume Kykeon which has the same base as LSD.
Thomas De Quincy
A follower of Immanuel Kant, and an expert on Plato and Schelling, Quincy was open about his use of opium. He believed that it broadened his mind and helped him come up with brilliant ideas.
Humphry Davy
A popular philosopher during Quincy’s period, he is most popular for creating the Davy lamps. He is also well known for experimenting with laughing gas.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Born in Germany, he is known for actively promoting the consumption of substances that stimulated thought and intellect. However, he only advocated moderate use.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche didn’t care what people thought about him which is reflected in his work. He suffered from migraines and other illnesses which he treated with copious amounts of opium.
William James
Nietzsche’s counterpart in the USA, William James was very public about his usage of psychedelics. He believed that they would help him better understand metaphysical concepts.
Henri Bergson
Bergson isn’t really known for using substances but wrote extensively about their influence on philosophy.
Walter Benjamin
He used many forms of marijuana and wrote about what he felt then. He is said to have died because of overdosing on morphine.
Ernst Junger
Junger believed that a person who used substances is like an astronaut because both of them transcend to untraveled planes.
Octavio Paz
A student of the Nihilistic school, he popularized substances because he thought that they removed all pre-conceived notions of morality and ethics.
Herbert Marcuse
Marcuse thought along the same lines as Paz and believed that it would help shun capitalist thought so that people would know that they are being exploited.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Sartre experimented with mescaline and the hallucinations he experienced haunted him for quite some time. They are said to have inspired his book, Nausea.
Michel Foucault
While he didn’t really take part in the discussion around psychedelics, Foucault was very interested by the way substances inspired artists, particularly in the West.