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'''Terence McKenna''' (] ] - ] ]) was a ] and ]. He was notable for being the originator of ], which claims ] to be a ] wave of increasing novelty, which ends abruptly in ]. (see ]). McKenna's theory is related to the theory of the ], except that McKenna recommended what he called the ''Archaic Revival'' as the antidote to the march of technological progress. This appeared to involve a combination of ]ic ]s, ]nism, and ]ism. | '''Terence McKenna''' (] ] - ] ]) was a ] and ]. He was notable for being the originator of ], which claims ] to be a ] wave of increasing novelty, which ends abruptly in ]. (see ]). McKenna's theory is related to the theory of the ], except that McKenna recommended what he called the ''Archaic Revival'' as the antidote to the march of technological progress. This appeared to involve a combination of ]ic ]s, ]nism, and ]ism. | ||
== Biography == | |||
Terrence McKenna received a ] in Ecology and Conservation from the ], a short-lived outgrowth of ], in ]. He spent the years months after his graduation traveling through India and other Asian countries, alternately smuggling illicit drugs and collecting butterflies for biological supply companies. | |||
In ] Terrence McKenna, his brother Dennis, and three others traveled to the Columbian amazon in search of ], a plant preparation containing ]. At ], at the urging of his brother, he allowed himself to be the subject of a psychedelic experiment which he claimed put him in contact with The ]: an informative, hallucinatory voice nearly universal to the visionary experience. The revelations of this voice prompted him to undertake his investigations into the structure of the ], which eventually led him to his ''Novelty Theory''. | |||
For most of the 1970s McKenna maintained a low profile, living in a nondescript suburban home, supporting his lifestyle with the and the royalties of the Magic Mushroom Growers Guide, and the cultivation and sale of ] mushrooms. He said that he was frightened out of this line of work, and into public speaking by the harsh penalties the ] exacted from his colleagues. He himself was once wanted by ] for drug trafficking. | |||
McKenna was a contemporary and colleague of ], ], and ] and participated in joint workshops and symposiums with them. He was a personal friend of ], and influenced the thought of numerous artists, writers, and entertainers. | |||
He became a fixture of popular counterculture in his later years. ] once introduced him as “the real Tim Leary”. He contributed to techno-trance albums by ] and ], and his speeches were sampled by many others. He was a skilled orator, and admired by his fans for his eloquence. While many of his presentations tended to be verbatim repetitions of the same catch phrases, his gift for extemporaneous speech allowed him to weave them seamlessly into contiguous performances that varied from audience to audience. His responses to novel questions were often as sophisticated as his prepared material. | |||
McKenna also co-founded ], a non-profit ethnobotanical preserve on the Island of ], where he lived for several years prior to his death. | |||
He died of ''glioblastoma multiforme'', a rare type of ]. He was 54 years old. He is survived by his brother Dennis, his son Finn, and his daughter Klea. | |||
== Books == | == Books == | ||
⚫ | * ''The Invisible Landscape'' (with Dennis McKenna, ], new edition ]) | ||
* ''Psilocybin - Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide'' (]), with Dennis McKenna (credited under the pseudonyms OT Oss and ON Oeric) | * ''Psilocybin - Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide'' (]), with Dennis McKenna (credited under the pseudonyms OT Oss and ON Oeric) | ||
* ''Trialogues on the Edge of the West'', ] (with ] and ]), transl. in ], ], ], ] | * ''Trialogues on the Edge of the West'', ] (with ] and ]), transl. in ], ], ], ] | ||
⚫ | * ''The Invisible Landscape'' (with Dennis McKenna, ], new edition ]) | ||
* ''The Archaic Revival'' (]) | * ''The Archaic Revival'' (]) | ||
* ''Food of the Gods'' (]) | * ''Food of the Gods'' (]) | ||
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* ] | * ] | ||
==External links== | == External links== | ||
* | * | ||
* | |||
* of Terrence McKenna speeches (]s). | |||
* | |||
* (]) |
Revision as of 02:50, 30 June 2004
Terence McKenna (November 16 1946 - April 3 2000) was a writer and philosopher. He was notable for being the originator of Novelty Theory, which claims time to be a fractal wave of increasing novelty, which ends abruptly in 2012. (see Eschaton). McKenna's theory is related to the theory of the technological singularity, except that McKenna recommended what he called the Archaic Revival as the antidote to the march of technological progress. This appeared to involve a combination of hallucinogenic drugs, Gaianism, and shamanism.
Biography
Terrence McKenna received a B.S. in Ecology and Conservation from the Tussman Experimental College, a short-lived outgrowth of UC Berkeley, in 1969. He spent the years months after his graduation traveling through India and other Asian countries, alternately smuggling illicit drugs and collecting butterflies for biological supply companies.
In 1971 Terrence McKenna, his brother Dennis, and three others traveled to the Columbian amazon in search of oo-koo-hé, a plant preparation containing DMT. At La Chorrera, at the urging of his brother, he allowed himself to be the subject of a psychedelic experiment which he claimed put him in contact with The Logos: an informative, hallucinatory voice nearly universal to the visionary experience. The revelations of this voice prompted him to undertake his investigations into the structure of the I Ching, which eventually led him to his Novelty Theory.
For most of the 1970s McKenna maintained a low profile, living in a nondescript suburban home, supporting his lifestyle with the and the royalties of the Magic Mushroom Growers Guide, and the cultivation and sale of psilocybin mushrooms. He said that he was frightened out of this line of work, and into public speaking by the harsh penalties the war on drugs exacted from his colleagues. He himself was once wanted by Interpol for drug trafficking.
McKenna was a contemporary and colleague of Ralph Abraham, Rupert Sheldrake, and Riane Eisler and participated in joint workshops and symposiums with them. He was a personal friend of Tom Robbins, and influenced the thought of numerous artists, writers, and entertainers.
He became a fixture of popular counterculture in his later years. Timothy Leary once introduced him as “the real Tim Leary”. He contributed to techno-trance albums by Spacetime Continuium and Sphongle, and his speeches were sampled by many others. He was a skilled orator, and admired by his fans for his eloquence. While many of his presentations tended to be verbatim repetitions of the same catch phrases, his gift for extemporaneous speech allowed him to weave them seamlessly into contiguous performances that varied from audience to audience. His responses to novel questions were often as sophisticated as his prepared material.
McKenna also co-founded Botanical Dimensions, a non-profit ethnobotanical preserve on the Island of Hawaii, where he lived for several years prior to his death.
He died of glioblastoma multiforme, a rare type of brain cancer. He was 54 years old. He is survived by his brother Dennis, his son Finn, and his daughter Klea.
Books
- The Invisible Landscape (with Dennis McKenna, 1975, new edition 1993)
- Psilocybin - Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide (1976), with Dennis McKenna (credited under the pseudonyms OT Oss and ON Oeric)
- Trialogues on the Edge of the West, 1992 (with Ralph Abraham and Rupert Sheldrake), transl. in French, German, Portuguese, Dutch
- The Archaic Revival (1991)
- Food of the Gods (1992)
- Synesthesia (with Tim Ely, 1992)
- True Hallucinations (1993)
See also
External links
- Terrence Mckenna's website
- Botanical Dimensions
- She Who Remembers Audio Archives of Terrence McKenna speeches (MP3s).
- Terence McKenna Bibliography
- Food of the Gods (PDF)