Apolline divination

Hallucinogenic substances or cognitive inputs? The case of the laurel

Bibliographic Data

ID12911588
AuthorsGiulia Frigerio (0000-0002-7622-8293, University of Kent, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume15
Issue3-4
Pages297-311
Publication date2022-10-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTime and Mind (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1751-696X • E-ISSN: 1751-6978
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1751696x.2023.2175618
OpenAlexW4321453879
LanguageEN
References cited35

The use of laurel in Apolline divination at Delphi has been a prominent area of interest in academic debates over the possible influence of drugs on prophets. Previous analyses revealed the absence of chemicals in the bay capable of altering the human consciousness. In this paper, I argue that the laurel did nevertheless have the power to influence the Pythia’s mind through its cognitive impact on divinatory practices. The methodology pursues a cognitive approach that considers the object affordances and the human neural response. The paper concludes that, despite the modality being different from the one proposed in the past, the laurel had a strong impact on divination

Affordance · Art · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Cognitive science · Consciousness · Divination · Ethnobiology · Igbo · Linguistics · Literature · Sociology · Anthropology · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Neuroscience · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophy · Psychedelics and Drug Studies · Psychology

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