Humans have a symbiotic relationship with plants. Plants coevolved to suit our desires for nourishment, beauty, and altering consciousness. Journalist Michael Pollan has investigated the human connection to plants. This week on Science of Perception Box, Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch ask Pollan about modern trends like ultra-processed foods, industrialized agriculture, and consciousness-altering drugs from plants including caffeine, cannabis, and psychedelics. 

For more than 30 years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens, and in our minds. Pollan is the author of eight books, six of which have been New York Times bestsellers. In 2003, Pollan was appointed the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and the director of the Knight Program in Science and Environmental Journalism. In 2020, along with Dacher Keltner and others, he cofounded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics. 

Dr. Heather Berlin is a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. 

Dr. Christof Koch is Chief Scientist for the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and the current Meritorious Investigator and former President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

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Episode Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:26) - The Profound Impact of Food on Mood and Perception

(04:17) - Exploring Ultra-Processed Foods and Their Effects

(06:45) - The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Food

(10:29) - The Connection Between Food, Culture, and Education

(17:46) - Michael Pollan's Journey into Food and Agriculture

(21:42) - The Symbiotic Relationship Between Humans and Plants

(22:55) - The Human Desire to Alter Consciousness

(25:15) - The Transparent Experience of Coffee

(25:47) - Caffeine's Benefits and Drawbacks

(26:38) - Exploring Consciousness-Altering Substances

(27:18) - Psychedelics and Cultural Evolution

(29:02) - Creativity and Psychedelics

(32:52) - The Nature of Ego and Consciousness

(41:11) - Public vs. Private Self

(45:31) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts