This is for Jim_Darwin, devlsadvoct and the other thinkers out there?

Question

I asked this question a little while ago and got few responses, so I'm calling out people whom I respect to get some insight.

A study published in 2001 in a major medical journal (The Lancet) about Near Death Experiences (NDE). The authors concluded that "Several theories have been proposed to explain NDE. We did not show that psychological, neurophysiological, or physiological factors caused these experiences after cardiac arrest." In other words, the body does not necessarily produce all aspect of consciousness. Sited supporting research also showed accurate descriptions of hospital rooms, etc., verifiably during the time of flat lined EEG, by patients born blind!

These researchers offered another theory that "NDE might be a changing state of consciousness (transcendence), in which identity, cognition, and emotion function independently from the unconscious body, but retain the possibility of non-sensory perception."

what does this suggest about us as conscious beings? About meditation? About materialism as a paradigm?

If anyone wants to see the study itself:
http://profezie3m.altervista.org/archivio/TheLancet_NDE.htm

Similar responses have been produced, but the study is clear that there are elements that have not been replicated, and that all measurable physiological activity had ceased for these cases.

Answer 1

Given that the researchers offer the theory that identity, cognition and emotion can function independently from the physical body, would that not indicate that these sentient faculties have a separate or additional energy that can operate outside of the physical? Does this, in fact, mean there is some theoretical, scientific evidence for the soul? And if that's the case, given Newtonian physics, what then happens to this individual energy upon death? Does NDE give us a window into what happens postmortem?

How this theoretical evidence impacts on meditation or our human paradigm of operating in this world, is anyone's guess. Meditation can and often does connect us to that part of ourselves that is rarely recognized in our day to day life. Perhaps the conclusions of the researchers is its own Clarion Call to step back and examine ourselves individually and collectively.

Personally, I find this very exciting and thank you for posting.

Answer 2

It opens up the window to a soul being independent of the body and causing an affect on the body.

Obviously we could research this forever with current technology, I don't know we ever will have the technology to "see" any empirical evidence of a soul.

I'm not sure, for me, I need to see empirical evidence of a soul,

Sometimes people feel things alive or dead, that makes them feel, they have a soul.

Earlier this week in the morning my hand felt a finger drawing a heart. There was someone on planet Earth at about that time doing that very thing, thinking of my hand.

Can that person and I ever prove that with empirical evidence, no, wether anyone else believes it or not, doesn't matter to our faith in one another.

Answer 3

NDE's are simply the rapid fire reactions of a brain in distress. There has been no credible evidence to anything contrary. This subject comes up very often here and it seems as if it's beating the proverbial dead horse. Why are we even still in debate over things as obvious as NDE? Just because some people choose to remain ignorant on the subject does not validate it's discussion as such.

NDE = neurophysiology... new topic.

Answer 4

I will be perfectly honest:
I don't know enough about this subject to comment.

The study of consiousness is still in its infancy as I understand it, and has great difficulty since it involves an attempt to scientifically understand phenomena which are very, very difficult to empirically observe, measure, or falsify.

I'm sorry that I'm not more help here.

Though I do appreciate you listing me as a "thinker".
That's the nicest compliment I've gotten in while!

Answer 5

The same NDE type responses were replicated in a centrifuge to fighter pilots, due to G induced loss of consciousness, and they were no where near death.

They reported seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, the sensation of floating, many hallucinated, some had conversations with people or others that weren't even there.

Answer 6

It's all very possible, did you also know that when we are born, the way our eyes are designed, we are supposed to see upside-down, but our mental perception flips it rightside up?