It's a placebo. The peace was always within you.

While that may be true, if it was the reading of this book that brought that peace of mind to him, why try to discredit his fondness of the book so dismissively? Everyone needs guidance from time to time, does it really matter where the guidance comes from?

The water is always out there too, but if I've forgotten the way to the well, it's good to see a pointing finger.

Richard Bucke got to me before Richard Alpert. Alpert's advanced technology just delivered more current.