Is there life after death?
It's a question that many of us turn away from, bat an eyelash — who are we to make that assumption? So begins New York Times bestselling writer Leslie Kean's deep dive into this subject. On Friday's show, Kean joined us to discuss her second book, Surviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for an Afterlife.
Kean explores numerous case studies of children reporting details from past lives, mediums who seem to defy the boundaries of the physical world, apparitions providing information about their lives on earth, and more. She provides a strong case based on both facts, scientific studies and testimonies made by doctors and PhDs from numerous countries.
So have we reached a conclusion? Do we survive death?
In a survey conducted by Debate.org, 59 percent of people surveyed agree that yes, there is life (or existence of some sort) after death. On the other hand, 41 percent disagree, saying that evidence points to life and being ending with death.
To break this down a bit further, here is one of the argument responses to the thread that supports there being life after death. Note: Response is marked as anonymous.
Yes, there is. With the physical death the identity, mind and body is not alive any longer but the life energy that we are actually are will never die. Life itself can not die. Each individual just plays a certain role, but is not conscious about it. Getting more and more aware we will get more certain what we are actually are: life itself!
On the contrary:
No one knows for sure, but more evidence points to "no." In order to have an afterlife, there must be a part of the human that is separate from the physical body. Let's call it the "soul."Is it our feelings? No, that's in the brain.Is it our memories? No, that's in the brain.Is it our thought? No, that's in the brain. Is it our conscience? Yet again, it's the brain.The brain is a physical organ, whose structure makes up our entire "soul" existence, therefore there is no soul, therefore there is no afterlife.
The arguments, with regard to both sides, go on and on. Similarly, NPR conducted a study and regarding this very matter in 2014, finding 37 percent in favor of life after death, 31 percent against it, and 32 percent initially undecided.
During the debate, Dr. Eben Alexander, who represented the affirmation of life after death, stated his case by relating to his own divine experiences while under a week-long coma. Sean Carroll, Harvard PhD and researcher, based his rebuttal on science, the universe, and the theory of time.
Following the debate, 42 percent were in favor, while 46 percent were against, making the team arguing against the motion the winner of this particular debate.
Kean molds her studies around the experiences of others, as well as enriching the narrative by including her own unexpected, confounding experiences.
Check out the full interview here:
The choice is ultimately up to you. Is it possible that we survive death? It's the question that plagued humanity since the beginning of time. Is there another side? Do we get there? What is the next step after passing?