Aidan Lyon is a philosophical researcher at the unit of Cognitive Psychology. He is an expert in meditation, psychedelic experiences, and critical thinking.

More information about Aidan Lyon

Aidan Lyon is a philosophical researcher at the unit of Cognitive Psychology. He is an expert in meditation, psychedelic experiences, and critical thinking.

Research on meditation, psychedelics, and critical thinking

Lyon's academic pursuits lie at the crossroads of psychology and philosophy, with a focus on meditation, psychedelics, uncertainty and critical thinking. His expertise in these fields has led him to be appointed as the principal investigator for the Templeton-funded project 'Mystical Entropy: The Development of a New Theoretical Framework for the Scientific Study of Mystical Experienc' at Leiden University.

Consulting in decision-making

Beyond his academic work, he works as a consultant and entrepreneur, assisting organisations and individuals in enhancing their decision-making processes. Drawing insights from the psychology of human judgment and principles from the philosophy of probability, he has contributed to diverse projects spanning biosecurity intelligence, geopolitical forecasting, environmental decision-making, institutional investing, and psychedelic therapy.

He also provides psychedelic and philosophical coaching to select clients and has designed an online course aimed at teaching participants how to harness meditation to enhance their critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Book: Psychedelic Experience: Revealing the Mind

Lyons book, "Psychedelic Experience (2023)," delves into the conceptual landscape of psychedelic experiences, exploring the premise that such encounters can be attained through means beyond the consumption of psychedelics alone. In this book, he illuminates a unified conceptual framework that allows readers to comprehend various types of psychedelic experiences resulting from psychedelics and meditation. By doing so, he sheds new light on commonalities between psychedelics and meditation, such as their capacity to foster lasting increases in mindfulness and induce mystical experiences.

Short CV

Lyon earned his PhD in Philosophy from the Australian National University in 2009, specializing in the philosophical foundations of probability theory. Prior to that, he completed Bachelor's degrees in Science (Mathematics) and Arts (Philosophy) from the University of Queensland.

Besides working at Leiden University since 2023, Lyon is also an external member of the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy.