Freethought & Rationalism Archive

cheetah · 03-15-2002, 12:07 PM

I apologize if this book has been commented on before. however, I was just at the bookstore at lunch, and saw it! It says there is scientific proof from controlled lab experiments of an after life. I didn't want to actually spend money on what would probably turn out to be poo, but I have to ask...does anyone else know anything about this? The title was something like "After life" with some other words in it and it's by a Dr. Schwartz.

Malaclypse the Younger · 03-15-2002, 01:00 PM

This should probably be in S&S, but I'll answer it here.

Presumably you're referring to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/074343658X" target="_blank">The Afterlife Experiments: Breakthrough Scientific Evidence of Life After Death</a> by Gary E. R. Schwartz and William L. Simon.

The reviews there are interesting. Even a positive review "favorably" compares the book to Jonathan Edwards, James Van Pragh Sylvia Browne, all of whom are long-discredited.

The negative review notes that "Dr. Schwartz demonstrates limited understanding of cold reading. As a result each of his experiments fail to control for sitter bias, feedback, and the Forer effect."

Generally speaking, few skeptics consider scientific claims of an afterlife particularly plausible. Too many claims have been shown to be deeply methodologically flawed or outright fraud.

The most obvious question that springs to mind, is that if this is indeed "breakthrough scientific evidence", in what peer-reviewed scientific publications has this information been published? I am disinclined to part with my hard-earned simoleons otherwise.

If you are interested enough to study the subject of the afterlife in detail, by all means buy the book and make up your own mind. However, if you are--like me--not sufficiently interested in parting with $17.50 (plus shipping) on what looks like obvious bullshit, I would recommend saving your money until the idea has been scientifically researched.

[ March 15, 2002: Message edited by: Malaclypse the Younger ]</p>

Jayhawker Soule · 03-15-2002, 01:03 PM

<a href="http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-11/mediums.html" target="_blank"> CSICOP Critique</a>

lpetrich · 03-15-2002, 01:36 PM

Furthermore, all the evidence on the mind-body problem points to mind being some sort of brain function. Consider the effects of various psychoactive drugs and head injuries, what's found when scanning brains with EEG, PET, and similar techniques, diseases like Alzheimer's Disease, etc.

Some seeming counterevidence comes in the form of dreams and the like, where one seems to wander outside of one's body. However, these appear to be a sort of mental doodling; one does not get access to anything new, such as the appearance of some strange place or some strange objects.

This means that one's consciousness will die with one's brain. Not a pleasant thought, but I've accepted that all my life. But if I find out otherwise, I'll try to find out how it happened, and then try to return to those I'd left behind to tell them about what I've learned. As one joke goes, if there is an afterlife, why hasn't Isaac Asimov written a book about it by now?

David Bowden · 03-17-2002, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lpetrich:
<strong>...mental doodling...</strong>

"Mental doodling" is now permanently etched in my cognitive science lexicon.

-Wanderer

03-15-2002, 12:07 PM	#1
cheetah Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,118	Scientific evidence for afterlife? I apologize if this book has been commented on before. however, I was just at the bookstore at lunch, and saw it! It says there is scientific proof from controlled lab experiments of an after life. I didn't want to actually spend money on what would probably turn out to be poo, but I have to ask...does anyone else know anything about this? The title was something like "After life" with some other words in it and it's by a Dr. Schwartz.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

03-15-2002, 01:00 PM	#2
Malaclypse the Younger Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: nowhere Posts: 416	This should probably be in S&S, but I'll answer it here. Presumably you're referring to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/074343658X" target="_blank">The Afterlife Experiments: Breakthrough Scientific Evidence of Life After Death</a> by Gary E. R. Schwartz and William L. Simon. The reviews there are interesting. Even a positive review "favorably" compares the book to Jonathan Edwards, James Van Pragh Sylvia Browne, all of whom are long-discredited. The negative review notes that "Dr. Schwartz demonstrates limited understanding of cold reading. As a result each of his experiments fail to control for sitter bias, feedback, and the Forer effect." Generally speaking, few skeptics consider scientific claims of an afterlife particularly plausible. Too many claims have been shown to be deeply methodologically flawed or outright fraud. The most obvious question that springs to mind, is that if this is indeed "breakthrough scientific evidence", in what peer-reviewed scientific publications has this information been published? I am disinclined to part with my hard-earned simoleons otherwise. If you are interested enough to study the subject of the afterlife in detail, by all means buy the book and make up your own mind. However, if you are--like me--not sufficiently interested in parting with $17.50 (plus shipping) on what looks like obvious bullshit, I would recommend saving your money until the idea has been scientifically researched. [ March 15, 2002: Message edited by: Malaclypse the Younger ]</p>

03-15-2002, 01:03 PM	#3
Jayhawker Soule Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,777	<a href="http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-11/mediums.html" target="_blank"> CSICOP Critique</a>

03-15-2002, 01:36 PM	#4
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Furthermore, all the evidence on the mind-body problem points to mind being some sort of brain function. Consider the effects of various psychoactive drugs and head injuries, what's found when scanning brains with EEG, PET, and similar techniques, diseases like Alzheimer's Disease, etc. Some seeming counterevidence comes in the form of dreams and the like, where one seems to wander outside of one's body. However, these appear to be a sort of mental doodling; one does not get access to anything new, such as the appearance of some strange place or some strange objects. This means that one's consciousness will die with one's brain. Not a pleasant thought, but I've accepted that all my life. But if I find out otherwise, I'll try to find out how it happened, and then try to return to those I'd left behind to tell them about what I've learned. As one joke goes, if there is an afterlife, why hasn't Isaac Asimov written a book about it by now?

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.