2002•The Journal of near-death studiesOpen access

The evidential value of near-death experiences for belief in life after death.

Michael Potts

Open full text 30 citations

Abstract

In this paper, I explore the issue of what evidential value near death experiences (NDEs) offer for belief in life after death.I survey the major positions on this issue, ranging from writers who believe that NDEs already offer convincing evidence for life after death, to physicalists who believe that they offer, at best, a very weak case.I argue that the present NDE evidence does suggest the possibility of life after death; however, such evidence is not yet overpowering or convincing.However, I go on to argue that NDEs do offer persuasive evidence for life after death for the individual who has the NDE.I end by suggesting that further research should be done on the most impressive type of NDE evidence for life after death, veridical perceptions during an NDE.

Open-access reader

About this research paper

What this paper is about

In this paper, I explore the issue of what evidential value near death experiences (NDEs) offer for belief in life after death.I survey the major positions on this issue, ranging from writers who believe that NDEs already offer convincing evidence for life after death, to physicalists who believe that they offer, at best, a very weak case.I argue that the present NDE evidence does suggest the possibility of life after death; however, such evidence is not yet overpowering or convincing.However, I go on to argue that NDEs do offer persuasive evidence for life after death for the individual who has the NDE.I end by suggesting that further research should be done on the most impressive type of NDE evidence for life after death, veridical perceptions during an NDE.

Why it matters

OpenAlex reports 30 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

In this paper, I explore the issue of what evidential value near death experiences (NDEs) offer for belief in life after death.I survey the major positions on this issue, ranging from writers who believe that NDEs already offer convincing evidence for life after death, to physicalists who believe that they offer, at best, a very weak case.I argue that the present NDE evidence does suggest the possibility of life after death; however, such evidence is not yet overpowering or convincing.However, I go on to argue that NDEs do offer persuasive evidence for life after death for the individual who has the NDE.I end by suggesting that further research should be done on the most impressive type of NDE evidence for life after death, veridical perceptions during an NDE.

Key concepts: Value (mathematics), Psychology, Value of life, Mathematics, Statistics, Biology, Ecology

Related papers

Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
The evidential value of near-death experiences for belief in life after death. — Research Paper | ScholarLens