Dates: 3 October to 7 November 2024

Time: 7pm-9pm  

Venue: Western Gateway Building, Room G13, UCC

Fee: €170

Closing date for registrations: 20th of September 2024.

Course Overview: 

Over the past couple of decades, empirical research into the clinical and therapeutic application of psychedelic drugs has shown great promise in treating a wide range of psychiatric conditions. The aim of this course is to take a philosophical approach to these experiences in order to understand what they mean and what we can learn from such experiences. To do so we will first contextualise psychedelics within social, cultural and therapeutic frameworks. The philosophical method will then be explicated so that we are then ready to apply it to the psychedelic experience. There will be three core areas of interest in the psychedelic experience which we will examine. Firstly, ego-dissolution refers to the phenomenon wherein one no longer feels like oneself during the psychedelic experience. This elicits questions regarding the nature of the self and consciousness. Secondly, psychedelics are often regarded as hallucinatory. To determine whether or not this is an accurate characterisation we will consider the nature of perception. Thirdly, psychedelics reportedly possess a ‘noetic quality’, i.e. they feel more real than real. To understand why they evoke such strong feelings we will examine the essential structures of the peak of the psychedelic experience. We will then consider the lasting impact that psychedelics have. Why do so many people report their psychedelic experience to be one of the most important events in their life? Here we will examine transformative experiences and consider the key mechanisms through which the psychedelics produce such long lasting and deeply meaningful and positive therapeutic benefits.

Course Schedule: 

Week 1-Introduction: What is philosophy? What are psychedelics? What is psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy? Ethics and legality.  

Week 2-The map is not the territory:  How can we understand the psychedelic experience? Insights from anthropology, neuroscience, mysticism and the need for philosophy.  

Week 3-Know thyself: What does ego-dissolution tell us about the nature of the self? What remains when the ego is gone?    

Week 4-The doors of perception : Are psychedelic experiences purely hallucinatory? What is the nature of perception and how is our perception altered by psychedelics?  

Week 5-Metaphysics: What is the nature of the mythological elements of psychedelic experiences? Insights from Platonic philosophy.    

Week 6-Transformative experiences: Why are psychedelic experiences so frequently reported as being incredibly meaningful? What constitutes a transformative experience? What makes psychedelic experiences so meaningful?   

Course Lecturer : 

Dr Danny Forde received his PhD in philosophy from UCC in 2023. He has lectured on social philosophy, phenomenology, ethics, metaethics, philosophy of mind and religious experiences. His work focusses on the phenomenology of psychedelic experiences

Requirements: 

Applicants must be at least 18 years old at course commencement. 

Contact Details for Further Information: 

Email: shortcourses@ucc.ie  

Please note our refund policy as follows: 

100% refund if student cancels 1 week prior to course commencement, less €50 processing fee.

100% refund if student's course is cancelled due to insufficient numbers.