Foundations of Near-Death Research

for all serious students and scholars interested in the field of near-death studies, this collection of some of the most important articles published in the Journal of Near-Death Studies over the last nearly forty years is a must — an indispensable and invaluable resource. Of particular value is the brilliant and incisive historical overview of the field by the editor of this volume, Alexander Batthyány.

-- Kenneth Ring, PhD, author of Lessons from the Light

this wonderful book offers a great opportunity, not only for scientists, philosophers, psychologists and physicians, but also for near-death experiencers and the public, to have a better understanding of the implications and results of nde research.

-- Pim van Lommel, cardiologist, author of Consciousness Beyond Life

this incredibly insightful book is long overdue. the ground-breaking articles presented in this volume informed how future near-death research was conducted and enabled refinement of methods. a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in this field.

-- Penny Sartori, PhD, author of The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences

a landmark collection of seminal studies that will be invaluable to neophyte and experienced nde researchers alike—in one of the most important subjects of evidence-based science and philosophical studies.

-- John C. Hagan III, MD, editor of The Science of Near-Death Experiences

Alexander Batthyny, PhD, holds the Endowed Viktor Frankl Chair of Philosophy and Psychology at the International Academy of Philosophy in the Principality of Liechtenstein. He additionally teaches theory of psychology and cognitive science at Vienna University's Cognitive Science program and, since 2013, has been visiting professor at the Moscow University Institute of Psychoanalysis. He is director of the Viktor Frankl Institute, Vienna. He is author or editor of more than 15 books on psychology, on the theory and history of ideas in psychology and psychiatry, and on philosophy of mind and related areas, with special emphasis on existential issues within these fields. He is series editor of Springer's Logotherapy and Existential Analysis: Proceedings of the Viktor Frankl Institute Vienna and first editor of the Collected Works of Viktor Frankl. His monographs, articles, and book chapters have been translated into 10 languages.

Contents

Foreword by Bruce Greyson and Janice Miner Holden

Volume Introduction by Alexander Batthyány

1 Mapping the Territory: General Philosophical and Methodological Issues (Epistemology)

--  Chapter Introduction by Alexander Batthyány

--  Bruce Greyson, Can Science Explain the Near-Death Experience? (1989)

--  Carl B. Becker, A Philosopher’s View of Near-Death Research (1995)

--  Janice Miner Holden, Rationale and Considerations for Proposed Near-Death Research in the Hospital Setting (1988)

--  Daryl S. Paulson, The Near-Death Experience: An Integration of Cultural, Spiritual, and Physical Perspectives (1999)

--  Raymond L. M. Lee, The Reenchantment of Death: Near-Death, Death Awareness, and the “New Age” (2003)

2.1 Phenomenology: Experience and Content

--  Chapter Introduction by Alexander Batthyány

--  William J. Serdahely, Variations from the Prototypic Near-Death Experience: The “Individually Tailored” Hypothesis (1995)

--  John C. Gibbs, Surprise—and Discovery?—in the Near-Death Experience (1997)

--  Jeffrey P. Long and Jody A. Long, A Comparison of Near-Death Experiences Occurring Before and After 1975: Results From an Internet Survey (2003)

--  Alexander Batthyány, Complex Visual Imagery and Cognition During Near-Death Experiences (2015)

2.2 Comparative Phenomenology: Culture and Context

--  Chapter Introduction by Alexander Batthyány

--  Dorothy Ayers Counts, Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in a Melanesian Society (1983)

--  Feng Zhi-ying and Liu Jian-xun, Near-Death Experiences Among Survivors of the 1976 Tangshan Earthquake (1992)

--  Arvin S. Gibson, Near-Death Experience Patterns From Research in the Salt Lake City Region (1994)

--  Todd Murphy, Near-Death Experiences in Thailand (2001)

--  Lee W. Bailey, A “Little Death”: Near-Death Experience and Tibetan Delogs (2001)

--  Allan Kellehear, An Hawaiian Near-Death Experience (2001)

--  Hubert Knoblauch, Ina Schmied, and Bernt Schnettler, Different Kinds of Near-Death Experience: A Report on a Survey of Near-Death Experiences in Germany (2001)

--  Gregory Shushan, “He Should Stay in the Grave”: Cultural Patterns in the Interpretation of Near-Death Experiences in African Traditional Religions (2017)

--  Satwant K. Pasricha, Near-Death Experiences in India: Prevalence and New Features (2008)

--  Cheryl Fracasso, Seyed Ali Aleyasin, Harris Friedman, and M. Scott Young, Near-Death Experiences Among a Sample of Iranian Muslims (2010)

--  Natasha Tasse...