Happy Valentines Day!
Friday, February 14, 2003.
Theories of Reality
MWF 1:00 pm

Announcement: No school Monday, Presidents Day. Also, no other book to buy, Jeffrey Borrowdale, Metaphysics. The bookstore did not stock the book in time.

Hand-out: 1.) Discussion questions and exam schedule. 2.) Near death experiences hand-out.

Lecture Topic: Near Death Experiences

18-20% of near death experiences include common themes. Common themes include looking down at corpse from above or a bird's eye perspective. Also, a long dark tunnel with an acceleration of speed through the tunnel with beings of light, departed loved ones, or religious figures waiting at end of tunnel. Another common theme includes a feeling of rushing wind or buzzing sounds. Also a ringing of bells is sometimes heard. Commonly a feeling of euphoria or peace is felt in near death experiences. Sometimes a person who is experiencing a near death experience says that they were given a choice to live. They will either be told, it's not your time, or there is things to be done still in your lifetime or, die if you choose. A common feeling of being sucked back into one's body occurs when brought back to life. Sometimes a resentment of going back into one's body is felt given the euphoric feeling ends and pain in the body is felt again. A life review sometimes occurs before going back into one's body.

Student tells perspective of Carl Sagen who argues that this common near death experience is attributed to reliving the birth experience. The tunnel represents the canal of the vagina at birth with a light at the end of the tunnel.

Ways to test near death experiences: Sensory stimulus in room such as something written on top of a file cabinet that an unconscious person could not perceive unless soaring above in a bird's eye perspective view. Than ask patient if can read anything from above.

References given in class by instructor: Dannion.com, a military sniper struck by lightning has a near death experience that changes his personality. Now spends time with the dying in hospice care. This web site tells his near death experience story and how it changed his life.
Life After Death, Raymond Moody, MD, PHD.