Western Scientific Approaches to Near-Death Experiences

Abstract

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are vivid experiences that often occur in life-threatening conditions, usually characterized by a transcendent tone and clear perceptions of leaving the body and being in a different spatiotemporal dimension. Such experiences have been reported throughout history in diverse cultures, and are reported today by 10% to 20% of people who have come close to death. Although cultural expectations and parameters of the brush with death influence the content of some NDEs, near-death phenomenology is invariant across cultures. That invariance may reflect universal psychological defenses, neurophysiological processes, or actual experience of a transcendent or mystical domain. Research into these alternative explanations has been hampered by the unpredictable occurrence of NDEs. Regardless of the causes or interpretations of NDEs, however, they are consistently associated with profound and long-lasting aftereffects on experiencers, and may have important implications for non-experiencers as well.

Making Sense of Near‐Death Experience Research: Circumstance Specific Alterations of Consciousness

“…Although most IANDS researchers exercise some restraint, others make the connection explicit in claiming that NDEs confirm nonlocal consciousness and the notion of an afterlife (see, e.g., Parnia and Fenwick , 6; Fox , 342; Greyson, Kelly, and Kelly ; Beauregard , 179–181; Van Lommel , 22–4; Greyson , 781). Survivalism surfaces not in the explicit statement of such claims but rather in subtle ways it is present in the nested assumptions that NDEs are a unitary entity with a single explanation.…”

“…Near‐death experients (NDErs) often are fully convinced about the reality of the experiences and that their content is real. Such claims play a significant role in the current debate about the existence of a non‐material aspect of human beings and the possibility that consciousness can exist independently from a living body and brain (see e.g., Beauregard , 181; Greyson , 781–2; Van Lommel , 22). Given this, ontological role plus the existential role that NDEs play in peoples’ lives require some clarity on what is and what is not an NDE.…”

Transforming Our Worldview Towards a Sustainable Future

“…However, examples of existential experiences are perhaps the most influential proofs of the capability of the human mind for third-order learning. According to Greyson (2015), several studies of people who have gone through a near death experienced (NDE) have yielded consistent findings showing changes in the experiencers' perception of self, relationship to others, and attitude toward life. These findings have even shown deepening effect as the time has elapsed from the experience.…”

Near-death experiences in medicine

“…4 Although different psychological, physiological, and philosophical theories have been proposed, several methodological and neuroscientific limitations prevent their verification. 5 Furthermore, NDEs occur when the brain is starved of oxygen, such as medical emergencies or administration of anesthetics, leading to a surge in neural activity that may correlate with NDEs. 5,6 As Bruce Greyson explained, "NDEs … involve vivid and complex thinking, perception, and memory formation under conditions in which current neuroscientific models of the mind deem such cognitive processes impossible, such as under general anesthesia and in cardiac arrest."…”

“…5 Furthermore, NDEs occur when the brain is starved of oxygen, such as medical emergencies or administration of anesthetics, leading to a surge in neural activity that may correlate with NDEs. 5,6 As Bruce Greyson explained, "NDEs … involve vivid and complex thinking, perception, and memory formation under conditions in which current neuroscientific models of the mind deem such cognitive processes impossible, such as under general anesthesia and in cardiac arrest." 5 Despite these challenges, NDEs have positively impacted the medical profession and physician-patient interactions.…”