NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES WITH REPORTS OF MEETING DECEASED PEOPLE

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are often dismissed as evidence for survival after death, yet many experiencers become convinced of survival. This article examines survival and nonsurvival interpretations, focusing on reports of seeing deceased persons during NDEs. It compares 74 NDEs with such reports to 200 NDEs without them. Some findings could support either interpretation, but several findings weaken the main nonsurvival hypothesis of expectation. The convergence of features suggesting survival, along with the need for multiple alternative explanations in individual and group cases, warrants taking the survival hypothesis more seriously than most scientists currently do.

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Abstract

Few scientists have taken seriously the interpretation of near-death experiences (NDEs) as evidence for survival after death, even though most people having such an experience have become convinced that they will survive death and several features of NDEs are at least suggestive of survival. This article compares survival and some nonsurvival interpretations of NDEs in light of one feature suggestive of survival, that of reports of having seen deceased persons during the NDE. Several features of 74 NDEs involving such reports were compared with those of 200 NDEs not involving such reports. Although some of the findings could support either a survival or a nonsurvival interpretation, several other findings may weaken the primary nonsurvival hypothesis, that of expectation. Additionally, the convergence of several features suggesting survival and the convergence of features that require multiple kinds of alternative explanations, in individual cases as well as in large groups of cases, warrant our considering the survival hypothesis of NDEs more seriously than most scientists currently do.