Benny Shanon

Benny Shanon was a professor of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and held the Mandel Chair in cognitive psychology and education. Born in Tel Aviv, Shanon studied philosophy and linguistics at Tel Aviv University and received his doctorate in experimental psychology from Stanford University. He is best known for his research on the cognitive effects of ayahuasca and the Biblical entheogen hypothesis, the idea that the use of hallucinogenic drugs influenced religion.