Is it the drug or is it the trip?

Luminous: A Podcast about Psychedelics from To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Does psychedelic therapy need the trip? — Will psychedelics replace antidepressants? — Spiritual warriors in the psychedelic underground

1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying mathematical concepts that power modern machine learning, to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives–even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

for ca. et år siden 52:23

MP3•Episode hjem

Check out more from the series at ttbook.org/luminous.

Original Air Date: December 16, 2023

Interviews In This Hour:

Guests:

David Olson, Charles Raison, Rachel Harris

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Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

16 episoder

#Fitness #Mental Health #Wisconsin Public Radio #Steve Paulson

Is it the drug or is it the trip?

Luminous: A Podcast about Psychedelics from To The Best Of Our Knowledge

published for ca. et år siden

Del

MP3•Episode hjem

Check out more from the series at ttbook.org/luminous.

Original Air Date: December 16, 2023

Interviews In This Hour:

Does psychedelic therapy need the trip? — Will psychedelics replace antidepressants? — Spiritual warriors in the psychedelic underground

Guests:

David Olson, Charles Raison, Rachel Harris

Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.

Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.

16 episoder

#Fitness #Mental Health #Wisconsin Public Radio #Steve Paulson

Alle episoder

1
Chris Timmerman on how DMT can deconstruct the mind 54:25

for 12 dage siden54:25

54:25

Chris Timmerman is a neuroscientist with a deep interest in phenomenology—what’s actually happening in our minds during psychedelic experiences. He leads the DMT Research Group at Imperial College, where he’s found that a single psychedelic experience can transform a person’s belief system, often turning materialists into panpsychists. In this wide-ranging conversation, Steve talks with Chris about everything from fractals and ayahuasca ceremonies to whether scientists who study psychedelics should talk openly about their own experiences. Original Air Date: March 01, 2025 Guests: Chris Timmerman More from Luminous: ttbook.org/luminous…

1
Spring Washam, the Buddhist Shaman 49:22

for 7 weeks siden49:22

49:22

Buddhist meditation and psychedelic journeys have a lot of shared DNA—both take you deep inside your mind and can change your life. But many Buddhists say psychedelics violate the prohibition against intoxicants. Do they? Spring Washam straddles this divide as both a Buddhist teacher and founder of an ayahuasca church. Her own story is fascinating—how she’s merged these two practices. Original Air Date: January 25, 2025 Guests: Spring Washam More from Luminous: ttbook.org/luminous…

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Do psychedelics reveal a deeper dimension of reality? 43:32

for 15 weeks siden43:32

43:32

There’s a huge question swirling around the really big psychedelic experiences. Are these mind-blowing trips just hallucinations – the brain shot full of chemicals, playing tricks on you - or do they crack open some transpersonal dimension of consciousness? Most scholars who study psychedelics won’t go anywhere near this question, and yet it’s central to how you interpret these experiences. If you’re in psychedelic-assisted therapy, you want to know if this glimpse of the divine was real or just some figment of your imagination. Philosopher Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes believes we need a metaphysics of psychedelics to explain these powerful experiences. Original Air Date: November 30, 2024 Interviews In This Hour: Guests: Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes For more from Luminous: ttbook.org/luminous…

1
Katherine MacLean on Mushrooms and the Limits of Consensus Reality 49:18

for 28 weeks siden49:18

49:18

Psychedelic people are practicing at the very edge of anyone else’s comfort zone,” says psychologist Katherine MacLean, author of the psychedelic memoir “Midnight Water.” MacLean was a pioneering psychedelic researcher at Johns Hopkins, who then left her job to pursue her own unconventional psychedelic journey. She talks with Steve Paulson about her work as a psychedelic guide, her personal history with psychoactive substances, and why she reveres the Mexican healer Maria Sabina. Original Air Date: August 30, 2024 Guests: Katherine MacLean For more from Luminous: ttbook.org/luminous…

1
Erik Davis on LSD, the psychedelic underground and visionary experience 44:36

for 34 weeks siden44:36

44:36

Erik Davis’ “Blotter” is really three books in one: It’s about the way LSD tabs were embedded in blotter paper so they wouldn’t be detected by the authorities; it’s also a deep dive into the psychedelic underground; and finally, it’s an art book — gorgeously illustrated, with lots of very trippy blotter art. Steve talks with Erik about the wildness of psychedelic experiences and whether they reveal a deeper dimension of consciousness. Original Air Date: July 20, 2024 Guests: Erik Davis For more from Luminous: ttbook.org/luminous…

1
Did the ancient Greeks use drugs to find God? 49:47

for 45 weeks siden49:47

49:47

Brian Muraresku makes the controversial argument that the famous Eleusinian Mysteries were fueled by a psychedelic wine. And he speculates that this secret ceremony, with its mind-altering drugs, became the Eucharist — the foundational event of early Christianity. Original Air Date: May 04, 2024 Guests: Brian Muraresku More from Luminous: ttbook.org/luminous…

1
A brief history of getting high 47:41

for 1 year siden47:41

47:41

It’s remarkable how fast psychedelics have gone mainstream. Just look at how so many major universities are racing to set up their own psychedelic institutes. Psilocybin and MDMA are now considered the most promising treatments for depression and PTSD that we’ve had in decades. But this is not the first time psychoactive drugs were hailed as miracle cures. Heroin and cocaine were also once considered wonder drugs. Today, what’s so striking is how the public conversation about psychedelics ignores this deeper history of intoxicants. British historian Mike Jay wants to challenge this narrative of psychedelic “exceptionalism.” In his book “ Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind ,” he digs into the 19th century’s rich history of psychoactive experiences — and tells the story of seminal figures like Humphry Davy, Sigmund Freud and William James – and lots of other people I’d never heard of. Jay is also upfront about his own psychedelic experiences. He’s had plenty of them. And he believes the scientists and doctors who study psychedelics should talk more openly about their own mind-altering experiences — which is definitely not the case for most of them. Original Air Date: January 27, 2024 Guests: Mike Jay Further Reading: "Psychonauts Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind" — Nautilus: "Why Scientists Need to Get High" Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast. Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.…

1
Is it the drug or is it the trip? 52:23

for 1 year siden52:23

52:23

For all the talk about how psychedelics might transform psychiatric care, there's still a fascinating question at the heart of psychedelic science. Is it the mind-blowing experience that fundamentally changes a person’s outlook on life? Or is it the powerful molecules that rewire the brain? Check out more from the series at ttbook.org/luminous . Original Air Date: December 16, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Does psychedelic therapy need the trip? — Will psychedelics replace antidepressants? — Spiritual warriors in the psychedelic underground Guests: David Olson , Charles Raison , Rachel Harris Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast. Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.…

1
Can you have too much transcendence? 37:56

for 1 year siden37:56

37:56

Some people dabble in psychedelics, others are more serious psychonauts. And then there’s Chris Bache. Over the course of 20 years, he had 73 high-dose LSD experiences — doses so high that the human body couldn’t tolerate anything more. For Bache, who was a religion professor, these were journeys into deeper dimensions of reality. These were grueling experiences — at times terrifying and other times ecstatic. He believes he transcended every aspect of personal identity and ultimately encountered the Divine – what he calls “the infinite creative intelligence of the universe.” And he ended up in a really interesting place, wondering if it’s possible to have too much transcendence. It’s an extraordinary story – one that Bache later wrote about in his book “LSD and the Mind of the Universe." In this conversation, he reflects on the years when he was going on these intense LSD journeys, which he did in secret, on weekends, while carrying on his work as a college professor during the week. Just to be clear, what Chris Bache did was extremely risky. His story is fascinating, but it’s not something anyone else should do. Original Air Date: November 18, 2023 For more from the series, visit ttbook.org/luminous…

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Can psychedelics be decolonized? 52:27

for 1 year siden52:27

52:27

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype about how psychedelics might revolutionize the treatment of mental illness. But there are also lots of ethical concerns. And probably none are so troubling as the charges of exploitation and cultural appropriation. The fact is, the knowledge about many psychedelics — like magic mushrooms and ayahuasca — comes from the sacred ceremonies of Indigenous cultures. But over the past century, Western scientists and pharmaceutical companies have been going into these cultures, collecting plants and synthesizing their chemical compounds. Even if science is all about building on the knowledge of earlier discoveries, what is the psychedelic industry's ethical responsibility? Can psychedelics be decolonized? Original Air Date: October 21, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: The Tragic Story of Maria Sabina's Sacred Mushrooms — Empowering Indigenous voices in the psychedelic industry — Bioprospecting for psychedelics: How Pharma hunted for Indigenous plant medicines — Spirit Medicine: Yuria Celidwen's vision for an ethical psychedelics Guests: Michael Pollan , Dennis McKenna , Erika Dyck , Katherine MacLean , Sutton King , Rachel Fernandez , Lucas Richert , Yuria Celidwen For more from this series, visit ttbook.org/luminous .…

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What happens to an octopus on MDMA? 50:39

for 2 years siden50:39

50:39

Psychedelics have a unique capacity to open up the mind so that everything feels fresh and full of possibilities. Especially as you get older, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut — but under a psychedelic, the brain can become more plastic. This time period, though, is limited - it might last just a few days, or a few weeks. So it’s really important to understand this “critical period” when our minds are so open — and also so vulnerable. These “critical periods” are what Gul Dolen has been studying for years. She’s a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins that has done some groundbreaking investigation of the “critical periods” of psychedelics, including studies that involve giving MDMA — also known as “Molly” in some circles — to octopuses. She’s also challenging a lot of the scientific work that’s been done on psychedelics — she has serious doubts about the value of neuroimaging, or even a concept like the “default mode network.” If you heard our last Luminous episode on the neuroscience of psychedelics , you’ll want to listen to this interview. For more from Luminous, visit our website at ttbook.org/luminous Original Air Date: August 12, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Guests: Gul Dolen Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast. Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.…

1
Your Brain on Shrooms 52:33

for 2 years siden52:33

52:33

Can neuroscience explain what happens to the brain on psychedelics? And even if we map the brain while it’s tripping, does that tell us why these experiences can be so transformative? We’ll talk with some of the pioneers in psychedelic research — from Amanda Feilding’s boundary-busting work to Robin Carhart-Harris’ theory of the "entropic brain." Also, renowned neuroscientist Christof Koch goes down the rabbit hole on 5-MeO-DMT, also known as toad venom. Original Air Date: July 15, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Exploring consciousness on toad venom — The godmother of the European psychedelic revival — How therapeutic psilocybin could help heal long-buried trauma — Magic mushrooms and the 'entropic brain' Guests: Christof Koch , Amanda Feilding , David Nutt , Robin Carhart-Harris Never want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast. Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.…

1
Melissa Etheridge on Ayahuasca 16:03

for 2 years siden16:03

16:03

Just a few years ago, it was pretty unusual to hear big-time celebrities talk about their own psychedelic experiences. But that stigma is starting to fade thanks to people like the rock star and music icon Melissa Etheridge. For her, this psychedelic renaissance has gotten very personal. Three years ago, her son Beckett died at the age of 21 from an opioid drug overdose. When Etheridge heard that clinical trials with psilocybin were showing real promise for treating addiction, she became an outspoken advocate for psychedelic therapy. And she started her own nonprofit organization, the Etheridge Foundation , to support scientific research into the causes and treatments for opioid addiction. Melissa Etheridge recently came through Madison, Wisconsin for an evening concert. Earlier that day, she stopped by the Usona Institute — which is running its own clinical trials on psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT — where she sat down with Steve for a short interview. She talked about the death of her son, and her own life-changing experiences with ayahuasca. She explains why she’s fascinated by psychedelics as both a path for spiritual exploration and a source of creativity. Original Air Date: July 08, 2023 For more from Luminous, check out ttbook.org/luminous.…

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Building The Psychedelic Revolution 36:54

for 2 years siden36:54

36:54

In the last decade, an unlikely place has emerged as a hub for the latest psychedelic renaissance — Madison, Wisconsin. And the Usona Institute is a major part of that. Usona is currently building a 93,000-square foot structure devoted to psychedelics. There’s nothing else like it. The man behind it all is the psychedelic CEO Bill Linton. He prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but he recently sat down for a rare interview with Steve Paulson. In this episode of "Luminous," we go inside Usona’s chemistry lab and go deep with Bill Linton about his pioneering work with psychedelics. Original Air Date: May 17, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: The lab that could supply psilocybin to the world — Psilocybin, the 'God molecule,' and the quest to revolutionize mental health care Guests: Bill Linton , Alex Sherwood Check out the full series at ttbook.org/luminous…

1
What Can Psychedelics Teach Us About Dying? 51:59

for 2 years siden51:59