It has been proposed that psychedelics promote wellbeing through spiritual-type transformations, involving changes in metaphysical beliefs. Past empirical research shows a link between the use of psychedelics and the endorsement of non-physicalist metaphysical beliefs. However, non-physicalist beliefs encompass a wide range of metaphysical ideas, and their links to wellbeing and psychedelics use remain unclear. We utilized a cross-sectional Internet survey to probe the metaphysical beliefs of participants (N = 701) with past experience of classical psychedelics, using a novel 42-item questionnaire (Core Metaphysical Beliefs, CMB), encompassing a wide range of metaphysical beliefs. Factor analysis of CMB revealed two factors, Idealism and Materialism. In network analyses, Idealism was linked to psychological insight in a past psychedelic experience (E = 0.24) and average use of psychedelics (E = 0.16), and predicted wellbeing (Es = 0.13 and 0.22). Mediation analyses showed an indirect link from past psychedelics use through Idealism to wellbeing (ps ≤ .005). Non-Physicalist Beliefs or Materialism were not significant mediators. The results indicate that Idealism specifically, not non-physicalist beliefs generally, mediate a link between the use of psychedelics and wellbeing. Future research is required to establish whether the link is causal, and to understand what the Idealism factor means.

This study aims to present a strategy to transform the worldviews of students, especially college science classrooms, into desirable current worldviews (Darwin, Quantum mechanics, Einstein, refer to Fig 1). Above all, the worldviews, that is metaphysical belief, needs to be changed. This is because metaphysical belief is the basis for the whole framework of conception. Since the previous study emphasized epistemological belief only, an emphasis was placed on metaphysical belief on which epistemological belief is based. Therefore, the two beliefs should be used to elucidate in the education of Nature of Science. Metaphysical belief in the science of cosmic order, symmetry, or disorder is often important in scientific research and can lead to an epistemological view that can select or reject a certain kind of explanation. Specially, the two-slit experiment with single electrons is a radical illustration of another paradigm shift, from classical (mechanistic materialism) to quantum physics (desirable dialectical materialism). The double slit electron experiment creates sensuous images that can be grasped at once. Because quantum mechanics is inherently abstract, it is difficult to accept its meaning.