Foundations of Near-Death Research (paperback and Kindle)

Foundations of Near-Death Research: A conceptual and phenomenological map

Landmark Articles in Near-Death Research

This volume is the first of a new book series that draws on landmark articles published in the Journal of Near-Death Studies (JNDS) to provide an overview of the past four decades of basic research within the field of near-death studies.

The anthology of which this volume is part covers the broad spectrum of scientific and academic work published by the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) and addresses, arguably, some of the most pressing and relevant questions on the nature of near-death experiences (NDEs). By presenting research over the past nearly forty years, this book also offers insights into the history and foundation of ideas within near-death research.

This volume provides a systematic overview—a map—of what scholars have achieved so far within conceptual and phenomenological research in the field. It identifies how nearly forgotten or neglected earlier research trends might inspire and enrich current research and points toward areas still left to be covered. The focus of the chapters moves consecutively from articles on epistemology—How do we approach the phenomenon of NDEs?, to phenomenology—What is the experience of an NDE like?, to ontology—What are NDEs, and who has them?, and, finally, to the wider implications—What do NDEs really mean?.