Researchers Bruce Grayson and Marieta Pehlivanova from the University of Virginia have concluded in their recent study that near-death experiences (NDEs) reported by individuals who have undergone clinical death cannot be fully accounted for by physiological processes alone. This work has been published in the journal Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research and Practice.
The authors undertook an evaluation of the Neptune model, which was put forth by an international consortium of scientists as a naturalistic explanation for NDEs. This particular framework links the phenomenon to specific characteristics of brain function during critical bodily states. Grayson and Pehlivanova assessed the arguments advanced by proponents of this concept, including the effects of medications, alterations in cerebral blood chemistry, the occurrence of hallucinations, “tunnel vision,” and transient bursts of electrical activity in neurons.
Grayson and Pehlivanova posit that even when all these contributing factors are aggregated, they fail to elucidate the totality of the documented observations. They draw attention to instances where patients described comprehensive sensory perceptions, including the sense of smell, alongside encounters with individuals previously unknown to them.
The investigators emphasize that these experiences were recorded while the brain was exhibiting significant functional impairment or even when normal brain activity was absent. Their determination is firm: physicalist models are incapable of offering a complete and satisfactory explanation for such testimonial evidence.
The scientists observe that the fundamental issue concerning the nature of consciousness and its relationship with the brain remains unresolved. They advocate against confining the understanding of complex phenomena like near-death experiences to overly simplistic explanatory frameworks.
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