'I profoundly admire Aldous Huxley, both for his philosophy and uncompromising sincerity. But I disagree with his advocacy of 'the chemical opening of doors into the Other World', and with his belief that drugs can procure 'what Catholic theologians call a gratuitous grace'. Chemically induced hallucinations, delusions and raptures may be frightening or wonderfully gratifying; in either case they are in the nature of confidence tricks played on one's own nervous system.' (Source: Return Trip to Nirvana from Sunday Telegraph in 1967)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Koestler respects Huxley but rejects the idea that drugs can grant divine grace, calling them nervous system tricks.
- In plain terms
- Drugs might feel amazing or scary, but they trick your brain, not the divine.
- What can you take from it?
- Chemical experiences are internal tricks, not spiritual truths.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can a feeling be real if it comes from a chemical?
- What distinguishes a trick from a revelation?
Another view
Subjective spiritual experiences may still hold value for some even if chemically induced.
More from Arthur Koestler
'Look at this. Did you ever see a magazine called the New Musical Express? It turns out there is a pop group called The Police - I don't know why they are call…
Permalink to quote #2 'Indeed, the ideal for a well-functioning democratic state is like the ideal for a gentleman's well-cut suit- it is not noticed. For the common people of Brita…
Permalink to quote #4 Einstein's space is no closer to reality than Van Gogh's sky. The glory of science is not in a truth more absolute than the truth of Bach or Tolstoy, but in th…
Permalink to quote #1
Related quotes
Want of love is a degree of callousness; for love is the perfection of consciousness. We do not love because we do not comprehend, or rather we do not comprehe…
Rabindranath TagoreRabindranath Tagore quote #13 I believe that God left certain drugs growing naturally upon our planet to help speed up and facilitate our evolution. Okay, not the most popular idea ever exp…
Bill HicksBill Hicks quote #18 Wouldn't you like to see a positive LSD story on the news? To hear what it's all about, perhaps? Wouldn't that be interesting? Just for once? 'Today, a young m…
Bill HicksBill Hicks quote #76