NDEs Explained

Finally confirmed what has long been suspected about near death experiences.

Not convincing as any sort of explanation. Susan Blackmore's ideas still look much better to me.

Quote :

This comprehensive report, by the author of The Adventures of a Parapsychologist and a fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, collates theories about near-death experience, challenges the reality of spiritual claims and surveys historical and cross-cultural attitudes toward death. Blackmore concludes that the neurological "Dying Brain Hypothesis" better explains the evidence than the more paranormal "Afterlife Hypothesis." This work is chiefly of interest to medical professionals; the mysteries of death remain.

CAUBS (well maybe not)

You started with a BBC link that suggested that NDEs were the product of a dying brain, and now you say that the suggestion that NDEs arise from a dying brain is CAUBS. I think you're a tad confused.

richard09 wrote:

I think you're a tad confused.

Possibly the result of a dying brain?

Maybe my brain is dying, I'd be the last to know wouldn't I?

I read that Blackmore is on the payroll of a couple of paranormal organizations and immediately thought her result must be bullshit. Then I read the conclusion that she thinks NDEs are the result of brain shutdown rather than anything spiritual. This confused me. I panicked. I added the part about "maybe." Without reading her paper I can't be sure she pulled out a rational explanation from the depths of her irrational career.

Blackmore has changed her views over the course of her career, so attempting to guess what they might be on the basis of a random line or two is likely to be - unfruitful.

Susan Blackmore

This is a summary in her own words: Why I had to change my mind