Could Pam Reynolds hear? A new investigation into the possibility of hearing during this famous near-death experience.
Journal of Near-Death Studies January 1, 2011 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-2011-30-1-p3-25 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe Pam Reynolds near-death experience, often cited as evidence for a separable immaterial mind, is reexamined using additional medical documentation from the Barrow Neurological Institute. The article argues that Reynolds's four veridical auditory perceptions can be explained by her ability to hear during periods of conscious awareness while under the specific combination of drugs used for general anesthesia during her aneurysm surgery. This account fills gaps in the published medical record and offers a physiological explanation for the reported perceptions, suggesting the NDE does not require a non-material interpretation.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychology |
| Key finding | Argues that the four veridical auditory perceptions reported by Pam Reynolds during her near-death experience can be explained by her ability to hear during periods of conscious awareness under general anesthesia. |
Abstract
Abstract: The well-known Pam Reynolds near-death experience (NDE) occurred at the Barrow Neurological Institute during a medically well-documented period, which is why many people regard it as proof of the reality of a separable immaterial conscious mind. In this article, I use information from related publications from the Barrow to fill in lacunae in the published medical documentation of this apparently amazing NDE. Furthermore, I present the case that the four veridical auditory perceptions Reynolds reported can be explained by her ability to hear during periods of conscious awareness while under the influence of the combination of drugs employed to provide general anesthesia during the operation on her giant basilar artery aneurysm.