Life Before Life
Encyclopedia
Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives is a 2005 book written by psychiatrist
Jim B. Tucker, which presents an overview of more than 40 years of reincarnation research
at the University of Virginia
Division of Personality Studies, into children's reports of past-life
memories. The book also discusses "birthmarks and birth defects that match those of a deceased person who is identified by the child". Life Before Life has been translated into ten languages and the foreword to the book is written by Ian Stevenson
.
This book challenges the notion that consciousness
is only the result of a functioning brain. It suggests that consciousness can be considered separately from the brain, which provides a basis for claims of reincarnation
. The book also discusses objections to reincarnation: the paucity of persons who actually claim to remember a past life, the fragility of memories, the population explosion, the mind—body problem, fraud
, and others.
Tucker recognizes that none of the cases examined are perfect, and "faulty memory by informants" is seen to be the "best normal explanation for many of the cases" reviewed in the book. Tucker discusses this, referring to several relevant studies which have been done, and argues that there is no support for the conclusion that informants must be remembering statements or events incorrectly.
Tucker basically agrees with Ian Stevenson who said "reincarnation is the best — even though not the only — explanation for the stronger cases we have investigated". Tucker recognizes that this may seem to be an "astounding statement" to some readers—that "memories, emotions and physical injuries can sometimes carry over from one life to the next". However, he argues that this is no more astounding than many currently accepted ideas in physics seemed to be when they were originally proposed.
Life Before Life has been reviewed in several journals including the Journal of Parapsychology
, Journal of Scientific Exploration
, Philosophical Practice, and PsycCRITIQUES
.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Jim B. Tucker, which presents an overview of more than 40 years of reincarnation research
Reincarnation research
Reincarnation research is a branch of parapsychology. Psychiatrist Ian Stevenson, from the University of Virginia, investigated many reports of young children who claimed to remember a past life...
at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Division of Personality Studies, into children's reports of past-life
Past life
Past life may refer to:* Past lives in reincarnation* Pre-existence, the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception- Popular culture :...
memories. The book also discusses "birthmarks and birth defects that match those of a deceased person who is identified by the child". Life Before Life has been translated into ten languages and the foreword to the book is written by Ian Stevenson
Ian Stevenson
Ian Pretyman Stevenson, MD, was a Canadian biochemist and professor of psychiatry. Until his retirement in 2002, he was head of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia, which investigates the paranormal.Stevenson considered that the concept of reincarnation might...
.
This book challenges the notion that consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
is only the result of a functioning brain. It suggests that consciousness can be considered separately from the brain, which provides a basis for claims of reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
. The book also discusses objections to reincarnation: the paucity of persons who actually claim to remember a past life, the fragility of memories, the population explosion, the mind—body problem, fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, and others.
Tucker recognizes that none of the cases examined are perfect, and "faulty memory by informants" is seen to be the "best normal explanation for many of the cases" reviewed in the book. Tucker discusses this, referring to several relevant studies which have been done, and argues that there is no support for the conclusion that informants must be remembering statements or events incorrectly.
Tucker basically agrees with Ian Stevenson who said "reincarnation is the best — even though not the only — explanation for the stronger cases we have investigated". Tucker recognizes that this may seem to be an "astounding statement" to some readers—that "memories, emotions and physical injuries can sometimes carry over from one life to the next". However, he argues that this is no more astounding than many currently accepted ideas in physics seemed to be when they were originally proposed.
Life Before Life has been reviewed in several journals including the Journal of Parapsychology
Journal of Parapsychology
The Journal of Parapsychology is a semi-annual peer-reviewed publication "devoted primarily to the original publication of experimental results and other research findings in extrasensory perception and psychokinesis." It also contains reviews of "literature relevant to parapsychology, criticisms...
, Journal of Scientific Exploration
Journal of Scientific Exploration
The Journal of Scientific Exploration is a quarterly scientific journal of fringe science published by the Society for Scientific Exploration that was established in 1987...
, Philosophical Practice, and PsycCRITIQUES
PsycCRITIQUES
PsycCRITIQUES is a database of reviews of books, videos, and popular films published by the American Psychological Association. It replaces the print journal Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, which was published from 1956 to 2004. PsycCRITIQUES requires subscription to access...
.
See also
- Children's Past LivesChildren's Past LivesChildren's Past Lives: How Past Life Memories Affect Your Child is a 1997 book by Carol Bowman. It is the first non-academic book to explore the putative phenomenon of children’s spontaneous past life memories....
- European Cases of the Reincarnation TypeEuropean Cases of the Reincarnation TypeEuropean Cases of the Reincarnation Type is a 2003 book by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson, who conducted research into claims of reincarnation. The work focuses on different reincarnation research case studies in a Western setting...
- Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence For Past LivesOld SoulsOld Souls: The Scientific Evidence For Past Lives is a non-fiction book by journalist Tom Shroder. An editor at the Washington Post, Shroder traveled extensively with psychiatrist Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia, who conducted past life and reincarnation research in Lebanon, India and...
- Reincarnation in popular western cultureReincarnation in popular western cultureReincarnation seems to have captured the imagination of many and the idea receives regular mentions in feature films, popular books, and popular music. Transmigration, although not directly referred to as such, has been used frequently to the point of cliché in the sense of people "switching...
- Satwant PasrichaSatwant PasrichaDr. Satwant Pasricha is the head of Department of Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences at Bangalore. She also worked for a time at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in the USA. Pasricha investigates reincarnation and near-death...
- Twenty Cases Suggestive of ReincarnationTwenty Cases Suggestive of ReincarnationTwenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation is a book written by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson on the phenomena of what he calls spontaneous recall of information about previous lives by young children. The book focuses on twenty cases investigated by the author...
- Where Reincarnation and Biology IntersectWhere Reincarnation and Biology IntersectWhere Reincarnation and Biology Intersect is a 1997 book by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson, published by Praeger. The book is about birthmarks and birth defects ostensibly associated with reincarnation...