Perspective

Carlos Castaneda writes from a strong academic background in anthropology. He both studies the ways of the sorcerer according to don Juan, and participates in the process of becoming a man of knowledge through the use of psychoactive plants, such as peyote and psilocybin mushrooms. As such, his credibility lies in the verifiability of his sources, but this introduces a major conflict. Don Juan warns Castaneda to never reveal the location of any sorcerer, so the sources must remain secret. This leaves the reader no choice but to trust the author at his word. For this reason, some critics dismiss Castaneda's books on this subject as merely works of fiction intended for an audience interested in psychoactive plants.

Another part of Castaneda's audience consists of those who take him at his word and accept the accounts as being subjective but actual experiences. The premise that psychoactive plants can...