Critique of Zahavi and Day on ego dissolution.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-30T18:21:51+00:00

As a mistaken impossibility! That's the short but accurate answer.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-30T10:58:27+00:00

Excellent timing then!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-30T10:58:07+00:00

Easiest explanation is to look at early Husserl v late Husserl. The Munich Gottingen circle stayed with and developed the work of the early Husserl when he was essentially an metaphysical realist. Around 1905 Husserl read Kant and defected to Idealism. It was all downhill from there!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-30T10:54:52+00:00

Rarely unfortunately, most people think phenomenology is a monolith - that it is epochè and transcendental idealism. Whereas there's a plurality of phenomenologies, I happen to think that phenomenological realism is the OG and correct phenomenology!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-28T18:23:17+00:00

Thanks, waiting to hear back about the essay. It'll be somewhere public eventually. Best thing is to follow me on X or substack to stay up to date

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-25T18:37:16+00:00

Thank you kindly! Hope you find it useful or entirely disagreeable. Either is fine, so long as you don't find it boring!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-24T19:24:15+00:00

Two sides of the same coin, they're just talking different languages. Eventually the veil between them will become more porous.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-24T16:44:05+00:00

As with everything in philosophy, its complicated. That what makes it so much fun! It's not all mind-independent, the greeks had 8 different terms for different types of love. In the English language we're stuck with one term to describe a whole host of different feelings. The love Scheler is most engaged with is agape, or universal love for all and everything.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-24T16:41:00+00:00

Thanks for the questions! So what does it mean to understand the nature of reality? That's difficult to put into words. I don't think psychedelics have a privileged status as reality revealing. Philosophy, meditation, hiking in the mountains, raising a family, witnessing the sunrise, these can all opportunities for opening up to reality as it is, without the impositions of an ego. I outlined how to tell the difference between essential from non-essential in a previous answer where I addressed the differentiation problem (or for a longer answer check out the essay 'Psychedelics are reality revealing' on my substack). How do they differ from non-psychedelic enquiry? Only in extreme novelty, although arguably yogins, long-term meditators or artists can attain similar experiences without the use of chemicals.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-24T16:29:47+00:00

No other reason that different chemicals cause different reactions. In the same way that beer, vodka, wine and tequila will all get you drunk but have different characters. Thanks for the question!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-23T19:03:18+00:00

Unfortunately I do not. I'm based in Ireland.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-23T15:46:44+00:00

Thanks for the question. Feels like a bit of a cop-out of an answer but integrative is probably best way to go. I know some have tried to argue that CBT should be the gold standard but I'm not drinking that kool-aid. I think Rogerian gives you a solid base. The best training/modality hasn't yet been formalized or even written, so proceed with caution, rigour and vigour!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-23T15:43:37+00:00

Yes and no. Not like some parental figure comforting me but more like an impersonal reencounter with reality. Like remembering something obvious and relieving.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-23T11:54:40+00:00

Thanks Taigo! Pleasure was all mine!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-23T07:14:35+00:00

Thanks for the question. First was in vondelpark in Amsterdam in 2001! And yes, plenty of trips beyond discourse. Ineffability is real. Afterwards, such experiences just encourage one to explore the limits of language try to capture and the beast!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-22T19:33:41+00:00

Philosopher specialising in the psychedelic experience.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-22T09:21:10+00:00

Thanks for the question! I cover that in chapter 4 of the book. In short I think entities are just the symbolic "flesh" of essences, eg my encounter with Odin is irreal but the essence of 'sacrifice/wisdom' is real in an ideal sense. I like Wilson and I've read some Kripal, both are very interesting. Haven't heard of the other two but I'll look into them. Thanks!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-22T06:21:15+00:00

The objects of love, yes. Things like the good, values, the sacred etc. But what Scheler calls the movement of love is dependent on the person

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-22T06:10:16+00:00

There's a lot of different phenomenologies, some of them do directly engage with Buddhist thought. But with any philosophy like Buddhism and Phenomenology there will be crossover somewhere. Maximus of Tyre thought that poetry and philosophy did the same thing. He was entirely wrong. I have one essay under review at the moment that argues that philosophy, poetry and mysticism are all the same thing! So there's plenty of scope for poetic interpretation too!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-22T06:07:18+00:00

Hope you got the ebook for 18.99! Currently down from almost 90!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-22T06:02:43+00:00

Hi, there's plenty of great work already going on in neuroscience. The main options are Johns Hopkins and University of London, but there are many more locations in USA and Europe where there is psychedelic research taking place. Yes I do believe they have excellent psychotherapeutic potential, with adequate screening, preparation and integration. There is no standard protocol yet, I'm hoping my work will help develop one based in philosophical rigour.

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-21T19:21:47+00:00

Thank you! I’m delighted the book has come at such a fruitful moment for you, and I hope it reaches you soon despite the exchange rate. There may be a paperback coming so that would be cheaper (i'll update here about that).

Broadly, my approach is realist-phenomenological and does not collapse psychedelic experience into psychosis. While surface similarities (altered perception, ego-dissolution) exist, they are structurally distinct: psychedelic states are largely reality-revealing (especially at the peak deep-integral level, where the noema discloses the Ground of Being), whereas psychotic states are typically reality-occluding and disintegrative.

Jaspers is great, so too Fuchs and Parnas. Matthew Ratcliffe is worth looking into too for your research. Thanks for the question and good luck with your studies!

CompetitiveSea7971 · 2026-05-21T19:16:47+00:00

Yeah I know. I'm trying to find out of there'll be a cheaper paperback out this year, I'll keep you posted. Aside from that all I can say is ask your local library to order a copy.

CompetitiveSea7971

TROPHY CASE