Book review: Science and the Near-Death Experience

I received my copy of Chris Carter's new book a few weeks ago, but personal events intervened before I could finish reading it, let alone give it a proper review. I've now read all of it, and I'm deeply impressed. Science and the Near-Death Experience is a major addition to the literature of near-death studies, one of the most comprehensive, exhaustively researched, and intellectually serious books ever to cover this fascinating field.

Even better, it's now available in a Kindle edition!

The book makes no secret of its conclusion; the subtitle is How Consciousness Survives Death. Carter lays out his case methodically and logically, like an attorney delivering a masterful closing argument. The opposing side's views are given their due, but the intention throughout is to show that there is a preponderance of evidence in favor of the survivalist interpretation.

Despite the density of its subject matter, Science and the Near-Death Experience is crisply readable. Carter manages the admirable feat of summarizing complicated scientific and philosophical controversies in just a few paragraphs. Take a look at his analysis of eliminitive materialism:

This may sound bizarre, but since materialism cannot account for consciousness, some materialists simply deny their own existence as conscious beings. They are driven to this act of desperation by their conviction that science, which they understand as applied materialism, supports them. Note the self-refuting nature of this position: If I believe that consciousness does not exist, then how could my belief exist? If my consciousness does not exist, then neither does my belief. And if my professed belief is nothing more than a machine going through its motions, then you have no reason to accept it as correct. [p. 71]

This argument isn't original with Carter, but I've seldom seen it expressed so neatly.

Michael Prescott

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