Drugs and Magic

One of the themes of the book is that mind-altering drugs, though dangerous, can have a good effect in promoting research into the human mind. In Timothy Leary's theory of 8 levels of brain circuits, the main way to access the 4 higher circuits is by using drugs such as LSD. Under the influence of drugs, Wilson sees his first supernatural entity, the spirit of the drug plant mescaline, or Mescalito. Wilson's studies of Crowley's magic are just an extension of using drugs, and studying extraterrestrial phenomenon. Wilson admits that readers may think that he is mad, but asks the reader to at least consider his arguments. Leary first uses LSD to allegedly help prison inmates to change their personalities and not commit crimes, another instant solution to complicated problems.

Later, Leary and Wilson become somewhat critical of the popular drug culture, because they see that millions of...