Leaving one’s body alters one’s perspective on the world, leading to a sense of unity with others, dissolving the ego, and enhancing empathy. This is the hypothesis proposed in a philosophical review by American researchers led by Marina Weiler and including Bruce Greyson, a prominent researcher of near-death experiences.
The authors did not conduct their own experiments but analyzed a multitude of existing publications. They noted that out-of-body experiences reduce fear of death and change a person’s life. The vast majority of those who “return” to their bodies become more responsive and tolerant, and they yearn to experience such states again.
There is also a purely biological hypothesis explaining this effect of out-of-body experiences. According to this hypothesis, the temporoparietal junction and the default mode network are likely mediators in this process. These brain regions show increased activity when a person watches an emotional scene in a movie, for instance. Interestingly, in individuals with autism and schizophrenia (conditions characterized by a deficit in empathy), the temporoparietal junction functions differently than in healthy individuals.
The researchers acknowledge that their hypothesis requires further validation. But what if, by stimulating specific brain regions, we could make someone feel another person’s pain?
How would you change our world with such a tool?
The article was published in August 2024 in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
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