The “Good Friday experiment”: an Orthodox view of psychedelic moral enhancement

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of science and technology in the early 21st century, the idea of improving human morality through various technological means emerged in Western scientific discourse. This idea subsequently acquired the stable name ‘moral enhancement’. One of the key arguments in support of this idea was the thesis of humanity’s inability to adequately utilize the achievements of scientific and technological progress without threatening the continued existence of the surrounding world, as well as humanity itself. Moreover, according to proponents of ‘moral enhancement’, the cause of this inadequacy is the continuous degradation of humanity’s moral state. Methods of moral development based on traditional sources such as culture and religion are today often considered ineffective and unable to prevent the misuse of the fruits of progress. The use of various biochemical agents and pharmaceuticals capable of influencing human behavior by acting on specific areas of the central nervous system is being considered as an alternative to traditional forms of moral enhancement. This article examines and theologically analyzes one such idea, which was tested during the so-called ‘Good Friday Experiment’ in the United States in 1962. The uniqueness of this idea lies in its attempt to change (improve) a person’s moral state through a ‘mystical’ experience under the influence of psychedelic substances. The article provides a theological assessment of this idea of moral improvement from the perspective of Orthodox anthropology.