Many people would say that the brain releases a flood of endorphins which creates feelings of bliss during ndes. But if this were the case, then why are there people who report hellish ndes and ndes with unpleasant features?
If ndes were really a brain phenomenon, then we shouldn't see that happening since the endorphins should prevent any hellish, distressing, or unpleasant experiences from happening. So what kind of explanations do materialists have to offer about this?
Im not a materalist (there isnt an opposite. People vary) but my guesses come from three things: 1. Brain Surgery 2. OBE 3. Dreams (and a few in between), and 4. peoples religious outlooks
Our Minds (not hearts) minds are powerful tools. They shouldnt be descredited nor put down because it is a part of the physical body. Ev-ver-ry thing your body and thoughts are controled by the brain. No brain. No heart. No emotions. No spiritual. No NDE. When people say "its all in your head" pun aside, it really is, All in your head. Whats wrong with that?
1. If NDE were spiritual (separating it from physical for a min), before I was "knocked out" why did I not have a figure of Jesus or Bahallauh walk toward me in a smile? No buttleflies of god. Just "say these numbers... '5,4,3....'" when I woke, I didnt wake up to see Jesus on the other end. If my religion was that, Id probably think he (rather than my mother) was holding my hand when I came to. Has nothing to do with materialism.
Our religious outlook or lack thereof have a lot of influence in how we interpret our "near" death experiences.
2. Ive had outer body experiences before. Is this spiritual? I can make it to be. No. It just means I was out of my physical body looking at its shell. Its in the mind. Its not lucid dreaming but a dissociation that Id assume is similar to that with seriously medical verrified DPD. Nothing wrong with it being physical. Has nothing to do with materialism. Nothing supernatural.
3. Dreaming. On that note, Lucid dreaming gives you the feel that you KNOW you been X before and know you are dreaming. Everything is distinct. NDE isnt distinct as dreams. There's a "I saw a blur...I saw white...i felt love...and so forth" but unlike lucid dreams where dreamers can say I was Here at X and or Y, the brain, in certain illneses, impact, whatever, NDEers may not differientiate between that. In other words, NDE is less accurate than Lucid Dreamers because the latter is not vague. That and they both come from the brain, same symptoms and "wish to be" symptoms. Has nothing to do with materialism.
4. People's religious outlook. Have you ever heard a Christian have an NDE and became Shinto? Or a Hindu that had NDE and became a santero? Its always from either one religion to abrahamic mostly christian or like my mothers case after her accident, realizing "and accepting" there is no afterlife at all. It depends on the person.
Again, though, psychology, sociology, neurology, and physiology seem to be to blame for NDE. Until someone has an Complete Death Experience, how could I assume that person gain any alien knowledge that he or many have not all experienced in one form in everyday life?
We can pin point the different areas in our life that contribute to our dreams lucid or not.
The fact that its Near doesnt make it any different.
Why does this need to be materalistic? Buddhist are very spiritual people but we know our experiences are percieved by the mind. Why one over the other? Accept them both and Letter B.
