NialScorva

I seem to recall reading about an emergency room where a doctor put an object on top of a cabinet or in a balcony, somewhere out of sight to anyone walking through, but plainly visible if you have a bit of elevation. Over time, no one who claimed a NDE in the operating room reported noticing the object, though most had a component of floating above their body.

I can't find it anymore, so I couldn't tell you if it was more than anecdotal counter-evidence.

Ovazor

In article "A qualitative and quantitative study of the incidence, features and aetiology of near death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors" (Resuscitation Volume 48, Issue 2 , February 2001, Pages 149-156) Sam Parnia et al attempted this, but none of his patients experiencing NDE had also out of body-experience, so this experiment did not produce any results.

ComestibleVenom

Susan Blackmoore wrote THE best book on NDE's yet published. While it's name eludes me, it's treatment of NDE's is so overwhelmingly powerful that no fool can do without it.

john_v_h

This page touches on Blackmore's OBE work and links to her books.

Wounded King

Her autobiographical work 'In search of the light' is very good too.

ps418

ComestibleVenom,

The name of that book you're thinking of is 'Dying to Live.' It was good. Blackmore's web site has several of her publications available for download.

Patrick

Arken

Another factor in this is that some people (I had the misfortune to be one of them) are aware but unable to respond while under anaesthesia. It sort of a temporary total paralysis but varying degrees of consciousness are there. In my case, I was able to clearly hear the discussion and felt quite a bit of pain as my wisdom tooth was crushed and removed and I was under a general anaesthetic. I was unable to move or make any sounds and I showed no sign of being conscious, but I was definitely able to relay some of the dentist's conversation so I have external evidence to corroborate. Others have experienced the same unfortunate result according to the readings I've done on the subject. It is rare, but it does happen... luckily for some, they don't feel any pain, but they are aware of what is going on around them. I see no reason why some of these so-called out-of-body NDEs could not mostly be explained in this manner.

theyeti

I saw a program on the Discovery Channel (or TLC, or something) about NDEs that provided the skeptical point of view as well. They had set up an experiment whereby a news ticker type of display was put directly above the patient. It would display a random word or words, and the doctors were instructed to ignore it. If the patients were truly able to sense visual information outside of their bodies, instead of just picking up on auditory cues or false memories, they should have been able to remember the words on the ticker. But at the time of the program, no one had yet done so.

theyeti

triplew00t

Very good. I am impressed, as I could not come up with much to counter it. I appreciate it, and the auditory to visual cross-over of the senses seems to be a good explanation. Even without assuming the senses could cross in anesthesia, memory can create visual to auditory to smell senses. For example, I may smell hot dogs, and see an image of one in my mind. Days later I may even think that I had seen a hot dog, or, if my memory is REALLY bad, have eaten one. If this can happen in common, daily experiences over the course of a few days, I am sure it can happen in drugged, tramatic experiences that are recalled months later. Thanks again.

In peace, Nero