Near-Death Experiences Explained?

[Scepcop]

To believers of the soul and afterlife:

I have a question for you about consciousness and the brain that I'm wrestling with. Maybe you can shed some light on it.

During anesthesia, most people black out. They don't even dream. They lose all awareness until they wake up later. That happened to me once too. I didn't even dream like in normal sleep.

So my question is, if I lose all awareness of time and thought during anesthesia, is that evidence that consciousness depends on brain? How can that be? I'm sure the skeptics will use that to argue that consciousness does not survive death, right?

How would you explain this?

Also, why does my awareness disappear during normal sleep? How can my soul or consciousness be switched off like a light switch? Can you explain this?

It does seem that when you dream, time doesn't pass in a normal sequence like it does in waking consciousness. I wonder why that is. Do dreams take place in a realm where time doesn't operate as we know it?

[caniswalensis]

[Arouet]

There is a lot of research being done on this field. The AWARE study should be out next year or 2012. It will be interesting.

[Paradox]

To believers of the soul and afterlife:

"I have a question for you about consciousness and the brain that I'm wrestling with. Maybe you can shed some light on it.

During anesthesia, most people black out. They don't even dream. They lose all awareness until they wake up later. That happened to me once too. I didn't even dream like in normal sleep.

So my question is, if I lose all awareness of time and thought during anesthesia, is that evidence that consciousness depends on brain? How can that be? I'm sure the skeptics will use that to argue that consciousness does not survive death, right?

How would you explain this?

Also, why does my awareness disappear during normal sleep? How can my soul or consciousness be switched off like a light switch? Can you explain this?

It does seem that when you dream, time doesn't pass in a normal sequence like it does in waking consciousness. I wonder why that is. Do dreams take place in a realm where time doesn't operate as we know it?"[quote][/quote]

I've always wondered about this myself. I was knocked out and became completely unconscious for I had no memories or recollection of anything during those times until I became awake again. I don't even remember most of my dreams but when I do dream I get dandies. I also wonder why only 20% of people near death report having any experiences.

One possibility I can think of comes from Ron Pearson's Grid Theory of consciousness. According to this the cosmic consciousness aka supermind of outer space has itself divided into different sections which are seperated from each other via an information filter barrier. Our bodies have a 'brain-mind' in which our consciousness is experienced through. Even in 'death' a replica of our 'brain-mind' is created so we can experience our consciousness from its source (the intelligent ether) in a new brain-mind that is made for the different matter system that awaits most people upon their deaths. I guess this could be comparable to a broken radio, the radio may malfunction but the signal is still there. I'm not sure but it's one theory maybe. Of course we already know what the other theory is.

[NinjaPuppy]

[really?]

[Paradox]

[Paradox]

[really?]

[Paradox]

[really?]

[Arouet]

[really?]

[Arouet]

[Paradox]