Near-Death Experiences and World-Model Collapse
Open MIND 2026 DOI: 10.17605/osf.io/mhwxt (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Consciousness Cognition Foundation evidence Narratology Narrative inquiry Cognitive systems Narrative psychology Cognitive science Epistemology Cognitive psychology Narrative criticism Narrative network Work physics |
| Key points | Proposes that NDE features represent systematic reorganizations of perceptual, bodily, temporal, and autobiographical structures under extreme physiological stress. |
Abstract
This project presents a unified, multimodal framework for understanding near-death experiences (NDEs) as structured transformations of the human world-model under extreme physiological stress. Drawing on neuroscience, cognitive psychology, phenomenology, and developmental research, the paper interprets core NDE features—such as tunnel vision, out-of-body experiences, altered time perception, and life review phenomena—as systematic reorganizations of perceptual, bodily, temporal, and autobiographical structures. The framework distinguishes correlational from causal neural evidence, addresses individual and cultural variability, and clarifies how NDEs differ from dreaming, psychedelic states, and dissociation. It also explores why fictional and narrative media often converge on similar structural motifs, without relying on specific examples, and outlines how these cognitive transformations can inform narrative design. Overall, the work offers an integrative account that links extreme conscious states with broader theories of world-model construction, collapse, and reconfiguration, providing a foundation for interdisciplinary research across cognitive science, narrative theory, and consciousness studies.