Near-death experiences and the mind-body relationship: A systems-theoretical perspective.

Near-death experiences (NDEs) provide empirical support for mind-body substance dualism, the view that the mind is a substantial object existing apart from the body. A systems-theoretical analysis of the evidence is necessary to avoid mischaracterizing the mind and its holistic interaction with the body. Some psychic abilities are emergent properties of the mind-body system, and ordinary faculties like emotional perceptiveness fit within the same framework as extraordinary ones like telepathy. NDE evidence favors a naturalistic form of substance dualism.

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Abstract

In this paper I support the view that NDEs provide empirical support for mind-body substance dualism and argue that a systems-theoretical analysis of the evidence is required to obtain valid insights into the nature of the mind as a substantial object existing in addition to the body. Without such an approach, systems phenomena such as property emergence and property masking could lead to mischaracterization of both the nature of the mind itself and the ways in which the mind and body work together holistically. Applying a systems-theoretical perspective, I show that some psychic abilities are emergent capacities of the mind-body system, that ordinary faculties such as emotional perceptiveness can be understood within the same framework as extraordinary faculties such as telepathy, and that NDE evidence favors a naturalistic form of Substance Dualism.