COMMENT:Blackmore argues that Near Death Experiences (NDEs) cannot be explained in terms of either an Afterlife or bare hallucinations. She is not dismissive of either approach, and compares their predictions to NDE reports and experimental evidence. Blackmore has her preferred account, in terms of unusual brain activity and (mis)interpretation of experiences, which she claims is better supported by the data, plus computer modeling, cognitive psychology, even Buddhist philosophy. NDE experiences varies with the individual, the culture, and the circumstances, and they can be set off in a number of ways. One trigger is lack of oxygen to the brain. NDE elements such as the "tunnel experience" can be related to brain features. Feelings of bliss may be the result of endorphin release. NDEs (like <a href="/bib/139">OBE</a>s) can seem very "real," which is explained by its being the most stable mental model at the time. "Life reviews" may result from seizures in the limbic system and temporal lobe caused by endorphin release; the breakdown in the model of the "self" gives the "timeless" quality of the review. Finally, Blackmore addresses the question of "deciding to come back," concluding that this is an illusion, itself resulting from the illusion that there is an "I" who decides to come back.
