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Title: Dying to Live: Near-Death Experiences by Susan Blackmore ISBN: 0-87975-870-8 Publisher: Prometheus Books Pub. Date: September, 1993 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $32.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.15 (13 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent prototheory of the NDE
Comment: Although "believers" in the spiritual interpretation of the NDE will not be convinced by Blackmore's dying-brain theory, this is by far the best book on the subject I've seen. Blackmore is not out to "debunk" the believers, but to show that her theory better explains the data in almost every respect. Her standard for what constitutes a good scientific theory is particularly valid in showing how alternate explanations (even non-spiritual) are not useful, if not outright mistaken.
It's interesting to note that even in his latest book Kenneth Ring still says the "unbelievers'" explanations claim that the NDE is pointless, or not meaningful, or that it belittles experiencers. Anyone who reads Blackmore's intelligent, compassionate book, which is even tinged by eastern philosophy (though from a neurological standpoint), know that Ring is fooling himself.
I call Blackmore's theory a "prototheory" because it is not comprehensive. But she admits outright that the evidence for this or that point would not yet excuse speculation; she doesn't cop out on issues, she simply says that neither she nor the believers can say one way or the other yet without further research. All in all, _Dying to Live_ is more of a foundation for future research and theorizing on the meaning of the NDE, but as such it is invaluable.
Rating: 5
Summary: A journey into the self and death
Comment: I thought this book was already important in itself because it discusses perhaps the most important subject - death and the afterlife, thru a skeptical examination of NDEs. Indeed, Blackmore discusses the various characteristics of NDEs with studies on hand and exemplary scholarship. Just on that alone it would be well worth its price.
But this book is truly groundbreaking where Susan Blackmore discusses her idea of the self as a mental construct, in the last chapters. Basically, she discusses how the NDE experience exists as a consequence of the breakdown of the sense of self, and the brain tries desperately to reconstitute a comprehensible model of reality. From this, she concludes that the very idea of a priviledged sense of self is nothing but a construct of the brain.
There are just too many things to recommend in this book to not sound fawning over it - as trite as this probably sounds, I think "Dying to Live" is nothing short of revolutionary.
Rating: 1
Summary: Lets see here... handwaving...
Comment: ITS all wishful thinking says Susan Blackmore, a woman who has waged her career on this claim.
Where is the evidence? Well, you see there is none. Blackmore wages her evidence on pink unicorns she says she is trying to abolish. In a true hand waving fashion, Blackmore dismisses ALL evidence for OBEs that could produce facts that were verifiable. This is coming from the same woman who is studying 'memetics' a non-falsifiable pseudo-science, and claiming it is scientific.
Sure, if you're the ultimate non-believer, you will find hand waving here. But the truth is, you DON'T NEED Blackmore to do handwaving for you, because in truth, if you ARE a sceptic, you are quite probably a smarter sceptic than her, and can come up with better arguments.
Poor.
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