Reddit reviews Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences

>I wonder, what do you think would count as a falsifying observation for the transmission theory, or at least an observation that diminishes it's plausibility?

There are various viewpoints on this, so don't take my response as the end-all-be-all omnicorrect answer.

I see it like this. The production theory of consciousness can be falsified in a way that the transmission theory of consciousness ultimately cannot. If there was no evidence falsifying the production theory and in favor of the transmission theory, then the empirically in-tune hypothesis would be the production theory of consciousness. Most people who believe in the production theory of consciousness actually believe that this is the case, and they are not aware of the evidence we do have that is pertinent to this question. However, in light of this evidence, the production theory of consciousness has been falsified, and it's the very epitome of anti-science to believe in hypotheses that have been demonstrated to be false. Thus, the only alternative is the transmission theory of consciousness.

It's certainly to the production theory's credit that it can be falsified, but that doesn't mean that we should continue to believe in it once it has been falsified. That would be like believing that there are no apples despite the demonstrated existence of apples, just because the claim that there are no apples can be falsified and the claim that there are apples cannot be.

There are certainly variations of the transmission theory that have been proposed that predict certain things which can be falsified, but I'm not personally too acquainted with them. Although I do know that Carter mentions them in his book.

>Epistemologically speaking, I don't want to totally rule-out anecdotal evidence, but I think the more it differs from ordinary experience and well-established theory, the more skeptical we should be toward it. This is basically a re-phrase of Hume's point against believing in miracles based on testimony. The world has never had any shortage of people who tell tall tales or people who misinterpret their experiences.

Absolutely! However, you must understand that these experiences are actually very common. This brilliant interview argues this case very well. Some simply polling reveals that they are way more common than many mundane experiences who we take for granted simply because they do not contradict our worldview like these supposedly supernatural experiences do. Chances are that quite a few in your social circle has had them, but are too uneasy to speak with you openly about them.

Additionally, there's reasonable skepticism, and then there's flat out denial, or the act of indefinitely delaying any day of reckoning for the status quo. We see the two latter all the time when it comes to these issues. Here and here are two good reads on that phenomenon.

>That's a fascinating finding. 75% though? What is the source on that statistic?

If I don't remember incorrectly, it's the results of Dr. Jeffrey Long's study, summarized here.

However, other researchers may have very well reached other conclusions on the topic. Do not take that percentage as the final conclusion on the matter.

>Curiously, people sometimes report this as a result of psychedelic drugs, saying their minds have been 'expanded'. Sometimes they even report OBEs. I wonder if there is some kind of connection here.

Indeed! But what is even more interesting is when people who have had NDEs compare them with psychedelic experiences:

"I haven't done acid but I have done shrooms, and it doesnt compare to the thought expansion you have when you are completely, and legitimately, out of your body experiencing the other side. Acid and shrooms expand your mind in a somewhat delusional sense. There is no delusion in an NDE."

• Personal communication
  
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  "I would like to mention something else that isn't talked about much and that's hallucinogens. Hoping to recreate the experience, I've tried several drugs, including LSD, mushrooms, and ecstasy. These experiences were all wonderful, interesting, intriguing, fascinating, but there is a big difference. Yes, you get to explore other levels of consciousness but there is often a feeling of loss of control and fear that does not occur during an NDE. With the drugs, there is a surreal feeling, but with the NDE it feels more real than this life. With drugs, it's more an experience is happening to you. With the NDE, you're the experience, the experience is of yourself, your consciousness. A good thing about hallucinogens though is that they give people (who haven't had an NDE) a glimpse into altered states of consciousness and an awareness that there is more to us than we've been led to believe."
  
  
• Source.
  
  So there is certainly a connection, although the NDE seem to be in a completely different ball-park. However, some very deep psychedelic experiences impart the same metaphysical realizations that deep NDErs get. A famous example of this would be the experience of Bill Hicks on a "heroic doze" of high-quality Psilocybin Mushrooms, best listened to here and here.
  
  >Penrose and Hameroff have a quantum theory of mind that might allow some pretty strange stuff to happen. I personally don't know enough about the theory to say how it might apply here, but we've come along way since the days when matter was thought of as being like little billiard balls. Matter is some weird shit!
  
  I hear ya! Hameroff even expands on that thought in this documentary! (His participation enters at around 38 minutes in, but I do recommend the whole documentary.)
  
  >Perhaps a little. So far, in what I've read about transmission theory, they use analogies like televisions and radios, which ironically, work via physical transmissions. If I'm to take the transmission view seriously, I would like to know what's being transmitted, from where, and some of the details of how it works, including how it integrates with evolutionary theory. Without connecting some dots, it remains a vague, but titillating speculation.
  
  I can do nothing but recommend the book by Carter. He discusses this at length. I'm not as well-versed in this particular matter, unfortunately. I do know he speculates with some of the ideas proposed by Rupert Sheldrake, if you're familiar with his work and theories about a "morphic field".
  
  Thank you for your open-mindedness! It's always so pleasant to speak with people who are interested in these ideas, instead of just inventing justifications to ignore them. If you are interested in researching this stuff further, I must highly recommend this podcast and its active forum if you want a springboard (and better feedback) for further research on the topics that you feel concern you the most in order to proceed, even if you want to remain cautious/skeptical on the issue.

It's usually not easy to see something in a new light so you're definitely not "dumb" just because you're having a hard time with it. It might also be that other people's advice isn't that great (mine included).

I tried looking for some books as I only knew one off the top of my head. And it's related to NDEs so I'm hesitant to share it (since you said you've still experienced some fear, despite reading seemingly positive and nice-sounding things in NDEs).

However, it seems that there are a lot of books that point to - amongst other things - studies on NDEs and various aspects of NDEs as evidence for life-after-death. And perhaps a more scientific/argumentative approach of some of those books will have a different effect on you (hopefully a more positive one) than simply reading NDE reports.

I also found a book that might be good and that seems to have nothing to do with NDEs. This book is written by a neurosurgeon and contains 40 imagined possibilities of life beyond death. Judging by the reviews it could be thought-provoking in a good way for you. Although I also want to say that some people found certain scenarios presented in the book to be disturbing to some extent. So, in the end, I'm not sure if it's good, but you can take a look at it and decide if you want to read it.

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More scientific books on life-after-death (referring to NDEs):

1. Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences

2. Consciousness Beyond Life: The Science of the Near-Death Experience

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Book with 40 imagine possibilities of life beyond death:

1. Sum: Tales from the Afterlives

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I don't really have any other suggestions, but there are a lot of books out there on the topic of life-after-death - its just a matter of finding them.

what you are referring to is commonly known as a Near Death Experience or NDE. I read this awesome book about them from a scientific approach/viewpoint.
Its called Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near Death Experiences. Here is a Link: http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Afterlife-Science-Near-Death-Experiences/dp/0061452572

It encapsulates stories from people from all over the world encompassing a plethora of cultures, religions, etc.
I found it a truly fascinating read, hope some of you check it out.

http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Afterlife-Science-Near-Death-Experiences/dp/0061452572/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1464094145&sr=8-4&keywords=evidence+for+life+after+death

>Give me one example of a dead person comprehending its surroundings and having feelings.

This should get you started.

https://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Afterlife-Science-Near-Death-Experiences/dp/0061452572

I have read this book. There are common patterns in people from all over the world, regarding their near death experiences.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Evidence-Afterlife-Science-Near-death-Experiences/dp/0061452572

http://www.amazon.com/Proof-Heaven-Neurosurgeons-Journey-Afterlife/dp/1451695195

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-24509/Near-death-patients-afterlife.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-89926/Scientists-discover-near-death-evidence.html

http://www.near-death.com/experiences/evidence02.html

A quick google search brings up more results.

Read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Afterlife-Science-Near-Death-Experiences/dp/0061452572/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408083018&sr=1-1&keywords=evidence+of+the+afterlife