Can science explain the near-death experience
The Journal of near-death studies January 1, 1989 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-1989-8-2-p77-92. via OpenAlex
Summary
Near-death experiences (NDEs) raise empirical questions that science can investigate, but scientific study carries risks for those who have had NDEs and for how the experience itself is understood. Because NDEs offer unique access to information about consciousness and death, these risks are outweighed by the benefits to experiencers and to humanity that come from a scientific description of NDEs.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Humanity Consciousness Engineering ethics Psychology Scientific evidence |
| Key finding | The benefits of scientifically studying near-death experiences outweigh the risks to experiencers and understanding, given the unique access NDEs provide to information about consciousness and death. |
Abstract
Article discussing empirical questions about near-death experiences (NDEs) that can be explored by the scientific method. Scientific study poses risks both to NDErs and to our understanding of the NDE itself. However, because the NDE allows unique access to information about consciousness and death, those risks are outweighed by the benefits to NDErs and to humanity derived from a scientific description of NDErs.