Talk:Rick Strassman

Untitled
9/1/06: Recent addition re: Art Bell appearance taken out. This reference was full of subjective (and rather snotty) musings on the part of the writer as to whether Strassman was in an altered state at time of interview, and has no place in an objective Wiki article.

More info

 * Created the "Hallucinogen Rating Scale" which he used during DMT studies.
 * "His research group documented the first known role of melatonin in humans." (Erowid.org)
 * President and Co-founder of the Cottonwood Research Foundation
 * Upcoming book "Inner Paths to Outer Space" from Dr. Strassman with Luis Eduardo Luna, Ede Frecska, and Slawek Wojtowicz - reference--Astavats (talk) 03:35, 14 December 2007 (UTC)

Concern
Im just flicking through some of Strassman's book, and... this doesn't look good. Take a look at a paragraph from page 83: 'In the case of human beings, these unmetabolized tendencies, this unfinished business, can enter the fetus only when it is "ready." This readiness may require forty-nine days, too, and may take the form of a pineal gland able to synthesize DMT. The pineal could act as an antenna or lightning rod for the soul. And sexual differentiation into male or female, occurring at exactly the same moment, provides the biological framework through which the life-force now may assert itself.' Ramblings of the pineal gland as an antenna for the soul set my pseudoscience sense tingling. Perhaps someone with more of a knowledge of neuroscience could take a look at this and decide if he is a legitimate scientist or yet another quack? - Suricou Raven, too lazy to make an account. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.101.122.85 (talk) 13:06, 12 March 2008 (UTC)
 * This doesn't really effect wikipedia, and Dr. Strassman is "legitimate" (by law and practice) as he didn't/doesn't let his personal beliefs interfere with his research. Note how he states "may take the form of a pineal gland able to synthesize DMT" and "pineal could act as an antenna or lightning rod for the soul". Whether you, or I, or anyone disagrees with what he theorizes, Dr. Strassman has still contributed greatly in legitimate psychedelic studies especially after such a long dry spell. Beyond that he should be able to theorize, believe, and/or hypothesize as he pleases.


 * Take care~--Astavats (talk) 22:55, 12 March 2008 (UTC)

Current activities
If this bio is to remain, it would be useful to include information about current position and, perhaps, why he left the Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico School of Medicine (at least he is not currently listed).AlbertHall (talk) —Preceding undated comment was added on 13:45, 18 February 2009 (UTC).

Proposed Deletion? (you gotta be kidding me)
I'm sorry but this proposed deletion is just ludicrous. Rick Strassman was the 1st man to start psychedelic research after a long hiatus. His book "DMT: The Spirit Molecule" is a bone fide classic, just because the title may make skeptics blanche doesn't mean his work is not notable. That book spawned the very well known movie of the same name directed by Mitch Schultz. I agree this page needs more secondary sources, but as it stands it is not a bad little bio of Strassman. Considering Wikipedia is a public resource, deleting his profile is insanity. He has carried out much research that is groundbreaking. There is a big difference between groundbreaking and fringe, fringe will remain unknown in the future, whereas groundbreaking research will be remembered in burgeoning fields like psychedelic research. I'll work on adding some secondary references as I have already done and notify the psychedelic community of this decision so that others may want to edit and improve this page. Probrooks (talk) 01:02, 14 September 2016 (UTC)