Suspended between science and belief.

This review examines *Death as an Altered State of Consciousness: A Scientific Approach* (2023) by Imants Barušs, a psychology professor who explores the possibility that consciousness persists after death by framing death as an altered state of consciousness. Barušs challenges dominant materialist...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Death Studies pp. 1 - 5
Autor principal: Daugherty, Paul
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Mar2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Mar2026
      pid: 377
      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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      ab: This review examines *Death as an Altered State of Consciousness: A Scientific Approach* (2023) by Imants Barušs, a psychology professor who explores the possibility that consciousness persists after death by framing death as an altered state of consciousness. Barušs challenges dominant materialist perspectives that equate consciousness strictly with brain activity and instead investigates a range of anomalous phenomena—including near-death experiences, after-death communication, mediumship, and past-life memories—arguing for alternative interpretive frameworks such as “living agent psi” and the survival hypothesis. While the book is compassionate and thought-provoking, the reviewer notes its heavy reliance on anecdotal evidence and speculative reasoning, highlighting ongoing scientific debates about biological explanations for these phenomena and the challenges posed by materialist assumptions. Ultimately, the work invites reflection on the tension between scientific rigor and belief but does not provide conclusive empirical support for postmortem survival.
      pubtype: Review
      doctype: Journal Article
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    language: English
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