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Neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander discusses how a near-death experience changed his perception on consciousness.
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-- Alexander.
And mr.
bullet proof of heaven and neurosurgeons are assertions.
Turning -- like where we're talking about -- on.
The -- something revenue.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Not to disparage all men and -- but your -- to bide your gifts -- -- -- has not at all well.
-- -- -- -- Well I I think it's.
It's something that resonates with people -- and and I try and -- -- -- the book this is not about you know some dogmatic religious statement.
This is about the or somebody that's -- us treasury.
No and it really is he gets down to the question of consciousness and existence and what they truly are and that's what I steered towards my book what are your colleagues -- Harvard.
Well they.
I would say that the if I have fifteen minutes or so to talk of them about my experience in the setting of of what's called -- hard problem of consciousness which is the fact that there's no way on earth who can explain how the physical brain.
Gives rise consciousness they can even you be the first senate's of that chapter.
And also was called the enigma Quantum mechanics which.
Is all about the nature of fundamental reality -- an album founding fathers were driven into mysticism for a reason.
It's because.
It was the only way that they could begin to make sense of what the experiments -- sank.
Potentially aren't hands remember him so before the -- Left change.
What what what what was your what did you believe religiously.
Well -- grown up in a you know religious home my father was academic and her -- so it was a very scientific -- He had been a combat surgeon in the Pacific in world war two and I think his spiritual strength is what got him an academic -- merger merger with just -- -- -- change someone who teaches and does research.
In her surgical environment so -- You know do although operating on patients taking care patients but also teaching others talk and so that's the academic partner.
Charter and so -- -- -- Wanting to believe.
Bought them wanting to believe in -- god in heaven and aftermarket and then.
I would say over twenty years in her surgery.
I just didn't see a way that any kind of consciousness could survive death of them of the body and brain.
And all of that thinking completely changed when I went through but I did because I think my case very clearly.
Showed that it consciousness.
Is actually enhanced when freed up from the brain and body I should've had no experience whatsoever.
With its severe meningitis to a suspect as a neurosurgeon -- -- their collars.
And an experience like to have for -- product -- Some action on the -- well that's why it's so convenient to that I had this severe bacterial meningitis -- My original intent was to -- -- up listener a scientific report trying to explain that hyper reality -- -- -- based phenomenon.
But after going through all the possibilities with colleagues -- mention nine of them.
Hypotheses in the book.
Trying to explain how this might happen in the brain especially because of the severe bacterial meningitis which.
It's.
An ideal way to mimic human death because it.
Takes out the entire outer surface the price not support to makes us human that -- assault are conscious experience.
Meningitis is most perfect -- -- wiping out most people do not come back from the kind of meningitis I have.
So do you have now.
Jim -- did not have before a fundamental.
Religious belief you're subscribed and in particular.
We're Christian.
Bureau or whatever well I would I would say I'm a Christian but I also -- from my journey is that.
There that this god this DOT.
Doesn't pick favorites there's not one religion.
As much as -- say that we are all one that we are here to love.
All of us that there's nobody who's kind of special.
-- then that religion and is -- consistent with what I saw my journey.
A more -- not -- -- and album.
-- can't reconcile.
Just simply.
Suggestion there christianity was already got a now that that makes no sense and excludes a lot of people -- at at you know and what exactly and I think that dot dogmatic form of -- -- is -- Is part of its inconsistent -- right.
-- started -- one time on social remain nameless don't recommend F and we were talking about.
I said so those are -- do you believe that you have to accept huge -- your personal savior and a and is that the only path to heaven and he said well it's like you walk outside of fox building here and -- wanna go to central Parker walked out -- And I -- -- -- -- a lot of -- to go to Central Park and you could.
Anyway you watch it eventually wind up -- -- has -- interest come close to which it wartime past.
That currently the downside -- well that's exactly right -- what -- so as a Christian and that does Jesus player Roland and in this -- Well I think very much I mean beaten I think it -- Cold War.
Called that message of love and one minutes and and being cherished by the creator.
Is present in in a lot of religions so they all have that -- diagnostics part of what it's really not -- Robert and it's the dysfunctional kind of human side of of various dogmatic.
Religion state.
Can -- tell us know we're the special religion the others don't matter.
-- that part is.
Makes no sense so reduce so should you -- -- about dying now.
Well I know that it's only transition I know that in fact the spark within each and every one of -- -- -- -- conscious awareness.
Is -- term and is not dependent on the brain and body Ford's existence and in fact is liberated.
When it's freedom.
From the physical and -- idiotic question -- -- memorable bidders.
Do -- think that what she wants wants some person daughters.
That that to have any awareness of what's going on.
What are often hear people say hello believable what you -- -- -- -- them.
-- I don't Marcellus -- spokesman.
We we have that yes -- to win our consciousness is freed up from the brain that is when we when the body dies.
All were actually liberated too much higher consciousness in the brain does not create consciousness it's reducing Richard filter but -- -- -- Florida I did I thought absolutely that.
Everything was birth to death and and then that's the end now I now realize -- that's not true at all.
All of our souls return but a -- shore episodes sell.
Nozzle or based on neuroscience and kind of consciousness and what it is a Blockbuster drugs and all of us olestra well it is actually debuted at number one on the New York Times list when it came out and spend their ten weeks one block believe optional -- -- -- -- -- -- I think it it.
Rings true with a lot of people I wrote it mainly for the skeptics many of the people like I was like madness -- -- Like a lot of people don't cry and I'm confidence in knowing after I -- tortured and has -- Richard does you don't Roberta -- Arbiter of what -- and senators -- -- -- you're.
You're -- period of reflection.
Well I'm I'm a lot better nineties today now or resistance -- professional -- to doctor all morning about model thanks I appreciate you have -- but we're gonna play some -- rural workers are too good a feel like my list I did look at the look at this a better -- a doctor.
Chairman Alexander.
Well thank you very much fascinating -- we'll thank you appreciate your -- me on here they're welcome proof of -- A lot of your buying of -- I want him more everybody is warning of specialist torment -- -- else.
