Psychedelics, Consciousness, and Our Place in the Universe | Interview with Adam Barrett, PhD

What is consciousness, and what does it tell us about our place in the universe? At ICPR 2026, we spoke with neuroscientist Adam Barrett about panpsychism, altered states of consciousness, the relationship between mind and matter, and how psychedelic experiences challenge conventional assumptions about reality.

2026. October 16. | István Gábor Takács | Drug Policy Reform, Psychedelic Medicines

Also available in podcast format:

Listen to “Psychedelics, Consciousness, and Our Place in the Universe | Interview with Adam Barrett, PhD” on Spreaker.

The questions:

00:00 Intro 00:26 Could you introduce yourself? 01:35 Are psychedelics like a microscope for the mind? 01:56 Why are psychedelics useful for studying the mind? 03:14 How would you define consciousness? 04:42 Does the brain produce consciousness? 05:07 Is that a physicalist view? 06:39 How can we tell if something is conscious? 08:28 Does the brain filter reality? 09:27 How do psychedelics change that system? 10:34 Are psychedelic experiences distorted or superior? 11:49 How does panpsychism relate to consciousness research? 14:57 What is integrated information theory? 19:42 Should consciousness researchers try psychedelics? 20:07 What studies help us understand consciousness? 22:18 What are the next frontiers in this research? 24:35 What misconceptions about psychedelics annoy you? 27:09 Can psychedelic insights also mislead us?

Filmed at the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research (ICPR) 2026 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Watch Drugreporter’s short documentary about the event and explore more of our articles and videos on psychedelics.

Interview: Péter Sárosi | Rights Reporter Foundation – Drugreporter
Camera and editing: István Gábor Takács | Rights Reporter Foundation – Drugreporter