Discrediting 'mystical' or 'psychical' interpretations of out-of-body and near-death experiences, Michael Marsh demonstrates how these phenomena are explicable in terms of brain neurophysiology and its neuropathological disturbances, and discusses the theological and philosophical implications of his hypotheses.

This chapter examines certain claims made for near‐death and out‐of‐body experiences (ND/OBE), adding neuro‐physiological and theological insights. ND/OBE aredecidedly this‐worldly events and have nothing to do with supposed journeys to spiritualized or nonphysical realms, nor amalgamations with so‐called cosmic consciousness. Classical spiritual encounters were discussed by William James, and by William P. Alston. The chapter compares classic examples of divine disclosure with those given by NDE subjects. Considering the “spiritual” properties of NDE reports, one might be somewhat reluctant to credit (...) them with any serious divine import, or, like some of the otherreports, of enlightening revelatory content. The chapter also summarizes author's analysis that offers arguments against any serious import to NDE phenomenology, other than deriving from stored material in brains of subjects reporting. It continues in critically examining the notion of afterlife, as envisioned throughout the NDE literature, compared with Christian precepts of the creedal “Life Everlasting”. (shrink)

After defining various aspects of memory, this paper has sought to outline the phenomenology of memory developed by Erwin Straus and his effort to refute the trace or engram theory of memory storage. We found Straus proposing some major insights : that human experience has its own structure of lived time, that this experience transcends the realm of physical events, and that the suchness of past experiences is preserved, and can be reactivated, in lived time. Straus's approach repudiates the conventional (...) reductionistic wisdom about memory. That wisdom has some powerful support, both ideological and experimental. However, other evidence taken from physiological, neurological, clinical and psychological observations lends weight to Straus's views. The final answer is not in, but it seems plausible that Straus was on the right track toward a framework for human memory. We concluded with a brief broadening out of the Straus framework into the whole realm of lived time or temporality. (shrink)

In this broadly argued treatise Oakley seeks to restore emotions to a significant generative role in our moral life. This counts as a restoration in that he would, with Aristotle, ground moral value in a humanly flourishing life, founded in virtues that involve not only acting well but having emotions of the right kind, degree, and direction.

A new work from the grand old man of process theology, this is Hartshorne's most approachable book in this area and arguably his broadest one. It offers an overview of his neo-classical theism along with some supporting argumentation.

Here, as a guide to the perplexed, Gerber offers not a personal philosophy of life but rather what he calls "echoes of perennial wisdom." He has compiled many hundreds of reflections, and some arguments, from philosophers and poets, historians and playwrights, religionists and skeptics, drawn from several civilizations and three millennia of time. A primary aim, as he remarks at one point, is to help the reader in the ordering of his life "around high ideals and satisfying experiences.".

In his fourth book, Gerber offers us not an academic treatise but an effort in what he calls applied philosophy. He aims to guide us, as his subtitle says, toward "Living with Equanimity, Zest, and Fulfillment by Applying the Wisdom of the World's Greatest Thinkers." Too sweeping a goal? Perhaps. But this is not some fluffy self-help book. It is a serious work by an experienced philosopher.