Life Before Life
| Life Before Life | |
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| Author(s) | Dr. Jim B. Tucker |
| Publisher | New York : St. Martin's Press. |
| Publication date | 2005 |
| ISBN | 0-312-32137-6 |
| OCLC Number | 59223926 |
| Dewey Decimal | 133.9/01/35 22 |
| LC Classification | BL515 .T77 2005 |
Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives[1] 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".[2] Life Before Life has been translated into ten languages[3] and the foreword to the book is written by Ian Stevenson.[4]
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.[2] 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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[5]
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".[6] 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".[6] However, he argues that this is no more astounding than many currently accepted ideas in physics seemed to be when they were originally proposed.[6]
Life Before Life has been reviewed in several journals including the Journal of Parapsychology,[7] Journal of Scientific Exploration,[8] Philosophical Practice,[9] and PsycCRITIQUES.[2]
[edit] See also
- Children's Past Lives
- European Cases of the Reincarnation Type
- Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence For Past Lives
- Reincarnation in popular western culture
- Satwant Pasricha
- Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation
- Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect
[edit] References
- ^ Two other books with the same title and similar subject matter are Life Before Life by Helen Wambach (1984) and Life Before Life: Origins of the Soul...Knowing Where You Came From and Who You Really Are (2000) by Richard Eyre.
- ^ a b c Butziger, R. "A Scientific Look at Reincarnation", PsycCRITIQUES, 51(22), May 31, 2006, p. 282.
- ^ Cedar Creek Institute Board Members: Jim B. Tucker
- ^ a b Jim B. Tucker (2005). Life Before Life: A scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives, St. Martin's Press, New York, 256pp. ISBN 0-312-32137-6.
- ^ a b Jim B. Tucker (2005). Life Before Life: A scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives, St. Martin's Press, New York, pp. 205-209.
- ^ a b c Jim B. Tucker (2005). Life Before Life: A scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives, St. Martin's Press, New York, p. 211.
- ^ Journal of Parapsychology, 69(1): 188-194, 2005.
- ^ Michael Levin, Book Review: Life Before Life, Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol 19, No 4, 2005.
- ^ Naomi Thomas, "Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives", Philosophical Practice, 2(2): 131-133, 2006.
[edit] External links
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