The Near-Death Experience, an Instance of Higher-Dimensional Phenomenal Consciousness?
Pekka Rechardt
Journal of Consciousness Studies September 29, 2026 DOI: 10.53765/20512201.33.9.111 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key points | Argues that because phenomenal consciousness has no satisfactory physicalist explanation, it may not be a causal outcome of neurophysics, so the collapse of brain structures at death need not dissolve consciousness. On this basis, the author proposes that near-death experiences may indicate continued consciousness after brain function ceases, possibly involving higher spatio-temporal dimensionality. |
Abstract
Phenomenal consciousness has no satisfactory explanation in the strict natural scientific physicalist framework. This may be an indication of consciousness not being a causal outcome of neurophysics at all. If this is the case, there would be no grounds for postulating that the collapse of neurophysical structures at death would dissolve consciousness and its constituent elements. If consciousness does not disappear when neurophysical functions terminate, the near-death experience could be an indication of the continuation of consciousness after the collapse of brain functions. This would be in line with the proposal that higher spatio-temporal dimensionality is involved in the emergence and maintenance of phenomenal consciousness, even after death.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Argues that because phenomenal consciousness lacks a satisfactory physicalist explanation, NDEs may indicate continued consciousness after brain function ceases, possibly involving higher spatio-temporal dimensionality.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of Near-Death Experience in Medieval and Modern Times | 1987 | Historical analysis | |
| Neuroscience and the Near-Death Experience: Roles for the NMSA-PCP receptor, the sigma receptor and the endopsychosins | 1990 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Implications of near-death experiences for a postmaterialist psychology. | 2010 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Near-Death Experience as a Probe to Explore (Disconnected) Consciousness | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Near-death experiences between science and prejudice | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |