The near-death experience: implications for a more complete theory of consciousness

The near-death experience (NDE) raises important unanswered questions about the nature of human consciousness and relationships between consciousness, the brain and spacetime. Certain NDE features are probably explainable by neuroscience and probably take place in 4-dimensional space-time while apparently remarkable NDE features such as confirmed cases of veridical perception and other so-called ‘anomalous’ experiences may be associated with postulated quantum-level processes that take place in higher order space-times. Current neuroscience models of NDEs are briefly reviewed. The implications of confirmed claims of veridical perceptions are discussed. An integral theory is proposed in an effort to reconcile established and emerging theories. The integral theory will provide a more robust conceptual framework for investigating consciousness in all its aspects, resulting in novel hypotheses and research methods that will yield more complete explanations of ‘ordinary’ functions and states of consciousness, disorders of consciousness, transpersonal experiences, and so-called ‘anomalous’ phenomena.