Terence Kemp McKenna (1946-2000) was an American ethnobotanist and author of pseudo-scientific concepts.
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He came from a religious family settled in the state of Colorado. As a child, he didn't have many friends due to his visual impairment and low physical activity. Instead, he became interested in archaeology and geology, which he later wanted to associate his scientific career with. A big influence on his later life was his reading of books Aldous Huxley, especially information on hallucinogens.
He studied at the University of California, Berkeley. At Tussman Experimental College, he earned a bachelor's degree in Ecology and Conservation. During his studies, he tested quite a few psychoactive substances. After finishing his education, he traveled around Asia, professionally teaching English and later smuggling hashish. He then made several trips to the Amazon, where he and his brother searched for psychoactive substances contained in mushrooms. During one ritual using it, the experience gave rise to the Novelty Theory.
Creativity
McKenna repeatedly underwent rituals using highly psychoactive substances. He was an advocate of taking them in large doses, claiming that only then could one see their proper effects. In the following years, he continued his research into the adoption of Amazonian mushroom crops. He repeatedly organized lectures, putting himself at the forefront of the psychedelic movement. His speeches on psilocybin mushrooms, yagé, cannabis and DMT were the most popular. He is the author of Novelty theory (Novelty theory) and Stoned Ape (a theory of human evolution).
McKenna's legal adventure
Mckenna was wanted by Interpol for a time due to his activities related to illegal substances. He adapted methods for growing Amazonian mushrooms at home in the publication Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide.
Curiosity 1. His theories, combined with Mayan beliefs, gave rise to speculation that the end of the world will come in 2012.
Curiosity 2. A variation was created in his honor psilocybe cubensis named McKennaii
Publications:
- The Invisible Landscape: Mind, Hallucinogens and the I Ching
- True Hallucinations (1993) --- we have a Polish edition in store: "Real Hallucinations - Terence McKenna".
- Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom (1976)
Sources:
P. F. Walter, Terence McKenna and Ethnopharmacology: Short Biography, Book Reviews, Quotes, and Comments, 2015.