A summary: Believers in the existence of an immaterial soul that allows people’s mind to leave the body and even function after death often cite NDE’s as evidence for their position. One particularly famous example is the story of a woman named Maria, who reportedly left her body and floated outside the hospital during a cardiac arrest. She reported seeing a shoe on the ledge of a 3rd storey window, which was later found. However, there are other explanations for her experience that do not require supernatural explanation, which I discuss.
All these NDE stories remind me of an amusing Yogi Berra anecdote which I am paraphrasing:
Yogi was born in St. Louis but played his entire career with the Yankees (this was back in the day when team loyalty was an important part of the sport). Being equally proud of St. Louis and New York and an icon in both cities, Yogi was once asked, “Yogi, where do you want to be buried when you die, St. Louis or New York?” to which Yogi replied, “Surprise me.”
I am more puzzled by what dualists think happens to the Mind when the brain is knocked unconscious. It I walk along paying too little attention, and my head runs into a tree limb and I fall down unconscious, what does my Mind do during the time I am “out”? Is it also suddenly unconscious?
Well, it often doesn’t. Many who have had a loved one develop dementia will be familiar with the experience that. while the person’s body still exists, the person themselves no longer does.
The typical explanation is along these lines. Decide for yourself if you find it convincing.
(T)he evidence from NDE suggests that all cognitive faculties, including memory, reside in an autonomous mind, a nonmaterial field of consciousness that is ordinarily united intimately with the brain and body. Only during extraordinary events such as NDE does it separate from the physical body and operate for a time independent of it. When united with the body, the mind must conform to the physical limitations – including disabilities – of the body. In the present view, the brain mediates cognitive faculties with the mind, which enables a person to be onscious while in the body. Although the mind is nonmaterial, the mediation must work >through some sort of physical interaction with the brain.