Paranormal Experience and Survival of Death
A balanced survey of empirical evidence for survival after death across four continents.
Becker distinguishes between rejected and accepted paranormal data to build a case for spiritual survival. He reviews objections to reincarnation evidence, including population growth concerns and super-ESP hypotheses. The work covers mediumism, age-regression, and spontaneous memories while also examining invisible bodies through poltergeist and haunting cases. This approach avoids the partisanship found in other studies of this kind.
Published by State University of New York Press in 1993, this paperback sits within the academic study of comparative thought. Becker draws on a century of research from Europe, Asia, and the Americas to address tensions between religious and scientific perspectives on the paranormal.
Praise for this book
“This book is lucidly written, well organized, and succinct as an overview of the empirical evidence for survival. The author efficiently summarizes the arguments and counterarguments surrounding alleged cases of reincarnation, apparition, out of body experiences and near death experiences. Some of the theoretical material is superb. For these reasons, it is a book I want on my shelf.”
“...if you really want an honest look at the state of paranormal research, there really is only one, Paranormal Experiences and Survival of Death ... comprehensive, possibly the best effort at explaining things that go bump in the night ... well organized and can offer the reader concrete 'empiric' evidence for the survival of the human spirit after death.”
📝 Description: Paranormal Experience and Survival of Death
📑 What's inside
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Proof of Reincarnation?
- Phenomena Not Considered
- Déjà-Vu
- Autoprecognition
- Child Prodigies
- Mediumism and Spiritualism
- Phenomena Considered
- Spontaneous Possession
- Hypnotic Age-Regression
- Spontaneous Memories of Former Lives
- Objections to the Phenomena as Evidence of Survival
- Refusal to Accept the Evidence
- Objections to Population Increase and Lack of Memories
- Normal but Forgotten Memories?
- The Super-ESP Hypothesis
- Objections to All Super-ESP Hypotheses
- Chapter 2: Invisible Bodies?
- Phenomena Not Considered
- Hallucinations
- Phantom Limbs
- Poltergeists
- Hauntings of Place
- Phenomena Considered
- Apparitions
- Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs)
- Objections to the Phenomena as Evidence of Survival
- Refusal to Accept the Existence of the Evidence
- Theoretical Objections about Animals and Doppelgängers
- Normal or Physiological Explanations
- Super-ESP Theories
- Conclusions
- Chapter 3: The Heart of Near-Death Experiences
- Phenomena Not Considered
- OBEs
- The Life-Review
- Physiologically Explicable Sounds and Lights
- Phenomena Considered
- Deathbed Visions Down Through History
- Visions of Departed Relatives or Friends
- Visions of Religious Figures
- Visions of Another World
- Objections to the Phenomena as Evidence of Survival
- Patients Pronounced Dead were Not Really Dead
- Patients' Visions were Hallucinations
- Siegel's Similarities
- NDEs are Defense Mechanisms or Mental Disease
- Attacks on the Veridicality of NDEs
- Super-ESP Accounts for True Information in NDEs
- Chapter 4: Philosophy of Science
- The Ontology of Modern Physics
- Views of Physical Entities
- Views of the "Nature of Things"
- Compatibility of Physics and Parapsychology
- Unresolved Philosophical Questions
- Rational Objections to Paranormal Evidence
- Repeatability
- Theory-requirement
- Inherent Probabilities
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💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
Readers fascinated by the intersection of empirical research and spiritual mystery will find this book indispensable. Becker’s work is particularly valuable for those seeking a balanced perspective that respects both scientific skepticism and religious conviction without dismissing either. It offers a comprehensive synthesis of global data, making it ideal for scholars, skeptics open to evidence, and spiritual seekers alike who wish to understand the broader context of near-death experiences and psychic phenomena through a historical lens.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Becker provides a robust, data-driven examination of post-mortem survival claims, drawing from extensive cross-cultural surveys. While its academic rigor appeals to researchers and serious students of parapsychology, it may frustrate readers seeking definitive proof or those with rigid dogmatic views on either side of the debate. The text is dense with synthesized information rather than narrative flair, making it less suitable for casual readers looking for entertaining ghost stories. However, for those willing to engage with conflicting viewpoints and complex data, it remains a significant contribution to the field.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you are a seeker of objective truth, fascinated by near-death experiences, psychic phenomena, and the enduring question of consciousness beyond the body, this book offers a rigorous, global survey. It’s ideal for those who appreciate a thoughtful, scholarly approach to the paranormal.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Global Paranormal Survey
This book meticulously compiles and analyzes an extensive collection of data and research on paranormal events gathered from across four continents. It highlights the universality of such experiences, showing how psychic phenomena and survival questions resonate across diverse cultures and belief systems, offering a truly global perspective on these enduring mysteries.
Science vs. Spirituality
Becker expertly examines the inherent friction between empirical scientific methodologies and deeply held religious or spiritual interpretations of extraordinary occurrences. The text delves into how both frameworks attempt to explain—or dismiss—phenomena like near-death experiences, providing a nuanced discussion of their respective strengths and limitations in understanding the unknown.
Consciousness Beyond Death
At its heart, the book confronts the profound question of whether consciousness persists after physical death. Through a rigorous review of near-death experiences and other indicators of post-mortem survival, it invites readers to consider the evidence that challenges conventional materialist views, exploring the implications for our understanding of mind and existence.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Paranormal Experience
- Near-Death Experience (NDE)
- Survival of Death
📔 Questions to reflect on
- How does the tension between scientific and religious perspectives on the paranormal influence your own understanding of these phenomena?
- Considering the global collection of data, what implications does the universality of paranormal experiences have for human consciousness?
- If consciousness can survive death, what personal and philosophical questions does this raise for your worldview?
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📖 From the series “Suny Western Esoteric Traditions”
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🏛 Books from this publisher State University of New York Press
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