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February 9, 2026

‘I’m the psychedelic confessor’: the man who turned a generation on to hallucinogens returns with a head-spinning book about consciousness

With The Omnivore’s Dilemma and How to Change Your Mind, Michael Pollan transformed our understanding of food and drugs. Can he do the same for our sense of self?

‘I’m the psychedelic confessor’: the man who turned a generation on to hallucinogens returns with a head-spinning book about consciousness

TL;DR

  • Michael Pollan's new book, 'A World Appears,' investigates the concept of consciousness, starting with the potential sentience of plants.
  • The book explores the definitions of sentience, feeling, thought, and self, drawing on interviews with experts and Pollan's own psychedelic experiences.
  • Pollan cautions that advanced AI can brilliantly mimic human consciousness, posing a risk of humans being fooled into believing machines are sentient.
  • He argues that subjective experience requires a biological body with its associated feelings and desires, which machines lack.
  • Pollan draws parallels between psychedelic experiences and meditation, suggesting they can both lead to profound insights into consciousness.
  • The author believes that understanding consciousness is crucial for ethical considerations, especially regarding non-human entities and future AI.
  • Pollan hopes his book will raise awareness about the preciousness of consciousness and the dangers of it being 'hacked' by technology.

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