Parapsychology, Philosophy, and Spirituality: A Postmodern ExplorationIn this book, David Ray Griffin, best known for his work on the problem of evil, turns his attention to the even more controversial topic of parapsychology. Griffin examines why scientists, philosophers, and theologians have held parapsychology in disdain and argues that neither a priori philosophical attacks nor wholesale rejection of the evidence can withstand scrutiny. After articulating a constructive postmodern philosophy that allows the parapsychological evidence to be taken seriously, Griffin examines this evidence extensively. He identifies four types of repeatable phenomena that suggest the reality of extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Then, on the basis of a nondualistic distinction between mind and brain, which makes the idea of life after death conceivable, he examines five types of evidence for the reality of life after death: messages from mediums; apparitions; cases of the possession type; cases of the reincarnation type; and out-of-body experiences. His philosophical and empirical examinations of these phenomena suggest that they provide support for a postmodern spirituality that overcomes the thinness of modern religion without returning to supernaturalism. |
Contents
Evidence for the Paranormal | 41 |
The MindBody Relation and the Possibility of Life after Death | 96 |
Mediumistic Messages | 150 |
Evidence from Cases of the Possession Type | 169 |
Evidence from Cases of the Reincarnation Type | 184 |
Evidence from Apparitions | 209 |
Evidence from OutofBody Experiences | 229 |
Parapsychology and Postmodern Spirituality | 269 |
Notes | 293 |
Note on Supporting Center | 329 |
Other editions - View all
Parapsychology, Philosophy, and Spirituality: A Postmodern Exploration David Ray Griffin Limited preview - 1997 |
Parapsychology, Philosophy, and Spirituality: A Postmodern Exploration David Ray Griffin No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
accordingly apparitions belief body brain C. D. Broad called causal influence Chapter clairvoyance consciousness David Ray Griffin death Descartes discarnate discussion dream dualism evidence example existence explain extrasensory perception extrasomatic fact Gauld human hypothesis Ian Stevenson Ibid idea Imad interaction interactionism interpretation intrasomatic investigated involved Journal Jule Eisenbud kind least living materialism materialistic means mediumistic messages Mediumship mind mind-body nature ND OBES NDEs nonsensory perception OBES occur out-of-body out-of-body experiences panexperientialism panpsychism paranormal events paranormal influence Parapsychology philosophical physical Piper poltergeist possible postmodern Postmodern Philosophy precognition presuppose prior personality problem Psychical Research psychokinesis question reality reason reincarnation reincarnation type rejected relation reported retrocognitive retroprehensive inclusion Sabom says scientific sense sensory perception Serios Sharada simply Society for Psychical soul spiritual Stevenson suggested supernatural supernaturalistic Survival telepathy theory things thinking tion University veridical white crow Whitehead William James York