Psychedelic Conversations | Dr. Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes - Mind, Metaphysics and Psychedelics

Oct 7, 2025

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Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

In this episode of Psychedelic Conversations, we sit down with Dr. Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes at the renowned "Breaking Convention" event in the UK. Together, we explore his pioneering work at the University of Exeter, where he co-founded psychedelic studies programs and lectures on philosophy. We discuss his journey into the philosophy of mind, panpsychism, and animism—challenging the dominant materialist worldview by proposing that consciousness pervades all of nature. Dr. Sjöstedt-Hughes shares insights on how psychedelics intersect with ancient philosophical traditions, ecology, and the broader psychedelic renaissance. We also touch on the evolution of public and academic attitudes toward psychedelics and the role of interdisciplinary research in shaping the future. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that bridges counterculture, science, and spirituality in the growing psychedelic landscape.

About Peter:Peter is an Anglo-Scandinavian philosopher of mind who specializes in the thought of Whitehead, Nietzsche, and Spinoza, and in fields pertaining to panpsychism and altered states of mind. Following his degree in Continental Philosophy at the University of Warwick, he became a Philosophy lecturer in London for six years after which he pursued his PhD at The University of Exeter – where he is now a research fellow and lecturer. Peter is the author of Noumenautics (2015), Modes of Sentience (2021), co-editor of Bloomsbury’s Philosophy and Psychedelics (2022), the TEDx Talker on ‘psychedelics and consciousness‘, and he is inspiration to the inhuman philosopher Marvel Superhero, Karnak. He is creator, with Prof. Christine Hauskeller, of the Philosophy of Psychedelics Exeter Research Group.

Connect with Peter:Website: https://www.philosopher.eu/Email: P.Sjostedt-Hughes@exeter.ac.ukTwitter: https://twitter.com/PeterSjostedtH

Filmed by Rua Acorn, creator of @thegoodtimes and founder of Modular Media®:https://www.modularmedia.co/

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This show is for information purposes only, and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.gunerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susangunerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/susangunerBlog: https://susanguner.medium.com/Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

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