Miguel Farias wrote:

I was a bit puzzled by this email, as the 3 paragraphs below do not
even mention the book that is under review. I was even more amazed
when I followed the link and read the whole thing: it is an impressive
erratic exercise in which we learn something about Colleridge's opium
taking habits but almost nothing about Shanon's book.

Anyway, let us forget this pseudo-review and focus on the merits of Benny
Shanon's work on Ayahuasca, which certainly deserves our good attention.
________

REPLY: Benzon uses Shanon's findings to formulate hypotheses about the nature
of the underlying neural mechanisms involved in these experiences. Surely a
desirable outcome for the author of any scientific publication? If readers want
only a description of the contents they can go to the publishers blurb, a link
to which is provided. To the best of my knowledge no other review of the book
is even available on the web - hardly a situation likely to lead to a "focus on
the merits of the work" or any appreciation that it "certainly deserves our
good attention".

Best wishes

Ian Pitchford PhD CBiol MIBiol
Editor, Evolutionary Psychology http://human-nature.com/ep/
Editor, Human Nature Review http://human-nature.com/