Are near death experiences real?

The question of whether near-death experiences (NDEs) are "real" is complex and can be approached from various perspectives, including scientific, psychological, and philosophical.

Scientific Perspective

From a scientific standpoint, NDEs are recognized as subjective experiences reported by individuals who have come close to death or have been clinically dead but were resuscitated. Research has attempted to explain these experiences through neurological and psychological mechanisms. For example:

• Studies suggest that NDEs could be the result of "disturbed bodily multisensory integration" during life-threatening events, which can lead to the sensations and perceptions reported by those who experience NDEs1.
• Neuroscientific research, such as the study by Jimo Borjigin and colleagues, indicates that a surge in brain activity, particularly in areas responsible for visual experience, may contribute to the perception of a bright white light and other NDE phenomena during cardiac arrest1.

Psychological Perspective

Psychological theories, like the expectancy model, propose that NDEs could be constructed by the mind in response to the stress of an encounter with death, based on personal and cultural expectations. However, this model is challenged by the fact that many NDE accounts differ from the individuals' prior expectations and that children's accounts of NDEs are similar to those of adults, despite lesser cultural and religious influences1.

Phenomenological Perspective

Many researchers and those who have experienced NDEs describe these events as profoundly real and impactful. Studies using scales like Bruce Greyson's NDE Scale have shown that a significant number of people who have had NDEs report increased alertness and consciousness, and a high accuracy in describing their resuscitation process, even though there was no detectable electrical brain activity at the time1.

Conclusion

While the nature of NDEs remains a topic of debate, several points are clear:

• NDEs are real in the sense that they are subjective experiences reported by many individuals.
• The experiences have common elements across different cultures and backgrounds.
• Scientific explanations attempt to understand the neurological and psychological basis of these experiences, but they do not fully explain the subjective intensity and impact of NDEs.
• The reality of NDEs, in terms of whether they represent an actual experience of an afterlife or another realm of existence, remains a matter of interpretation and belief.

In summary, NDEs are recognized as real subjective experiences, but their interpretation and the underlying mechanisms are still subjects of ongoing research and debate.