The Survival Hypothesis: Essays on Mediumship

by Adam J. Rock

Overview

Contemporary parapsychology tends to be preoccupied with ESP (telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition) and psychokinesis. In contrast, this cutting-edge anthology assembles an international team of experts from the fields of psychology, parapsychology, philosophy, anthropology and neuroscience to examine critically what is referred to as the survival hypothesis: the tentative statement or prediction that some aspect of our personhood (e.g., consciousness) persists subsequent to the death of the physical body.

The appraisal of the survival hypothesis will be restricted to the phenomenon of mediumship; that is, humans who ostensibly communicate with the deceased. The book has been divided into four main sections: Explanation and Belief; Culture, Psychopathology and Psychotherapy; Empirical Approaches; The Present and Future. The issue of postmortem survival is supremely relevant to us all because the human encounter with death is, of course, a certainty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786472208
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	04/30/2014
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Adam J. Rock is a lecturer at the School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. His primary research interests are in the area of altered states of consciousness, mainly focused on shamanism, the conceptual problem of consciousness, and mediumship.

Table of Contents

Foreword Lance Storm 1

Preface 5

Introduction: The Medium and the Message Adam J. Rock 7

Part 1 Explanation and Belief

The Possibility of Mediumship: Philosophical Considerations Stephen E. Braude 21

Is Postmortem Survival the Best Explanation of the Data of Mediumship Michael Sudduth 40

Non-Parapsychological Explanations of Ostensible Mediumship Chris A. Roe Elizabeth C. Roxburgh 65

A Skeptic's View of Mediumship Krissy Wilson 79

The Psychology of Belief in Discarnate Communication Tony Jinks 90

Part 2 Culture, Psychopathology and Psychotherapy

Cultural Aspects of Personality, Beliefs and Attentional Strategies in Mediumship Joan H. Hageman Stanley Krippner 107

Shamanism and Mediumship: Confluence and Difference Rafael G. Locke Adam J. Rock Roger N. Walsh 122

Communication with Gods and Spirits in East and Southeast Asia Christopher C. Cott 135

Mediumship and Psychopathology Jacob Kaminker 146

Mediumship and Psychotherapy Rafael G. Locke 160

Part 3 Empirical Approaches

Advances in Quantitative Mediumship Research Julie Beischel 177

A Review of Qualitative Mediumship Research Kylte Harris Carlos S. Alvarado 196

A Mixed Methods Approach to Mediumship Research Elizabeth C. Roxburgh Chris A. Rol 220

A Systems Level Neuroscience Approach to Mediumship and the Source-of-Psi Problem Graham A. Jamleson Adam J. Rock 235

Neuroscience of Trance and Mediumship Julio F. P. Peres Alexander Moreira-Almeida Leonardo Calxeta 254

Part 4 The Present and the Future

Mediumship and Its Place Within Parapsychology Julie Beischel Mark Boccuzzi Edwin C. May 275

The Future of the Field of Mediumship Carlos S. Alvarado Julie Beischel Mark Boccuzzi Edwin C. May Stephen E. Braudf Joan H. Hageman Stanley Krippner Kylie Harris Tony Jinks Jacob Kaminker Rafael G. Locke Julio F. P. Peres Adam J. Rock Graham A. Jamieson Elizabeth C. Roxburgh Chris A. Roe Michael Sudduth Krissy Wilson 285

About the Contributors 303

Index 307

Editorial Reviews

an excellent book destined to become a standard reference in mediumship studies...provides an unprecedented overview of research on mediumship and supplies a good synopsis of the state of the art...a job well done...recommended highly”—Journal of the Society for Psychical Research.

From the Publisher