Proof of Heaven? Maybe not...

[Faith No More]

I'm sure everyone has heard of the book "Proof of Heaven" written by neurologist Dr. Even Alexander. The man has cashed in on it, and the book has been peddled by the likes of Dr. Phil and Oprah. Well, an expose has been written about the book citing numerous objections. You have to pay to read it, so I've only been able to read an article about it. Here it is...

http://www.dailygrail.com/Spirit-World/2...-Alexander

Dittrich also disputes a number of the 'facts' recounted by Eben Alexander in Proof of Heaven, from the weather during his coma through to the claims about his coma. Most pertinent, given that much of the book revolves around the anomaly that he should not have been physically able to have his near-death experience due to being completely unconscious and with a non-functioning brain:

In Proof of Heaven, Alexander writes that he spent seven days in "a coma caused by a rare case of E. coli bacterial meningitis." There is no indication in the book that it was [ER doctor] Laura Potter, and not bacterial meningitis, that induced his coma, or that the physicians in the ICU maintained his coma in the days that followed through the use of anesthetics. Alexander also writes that during his week in the ICU he was present "in body alone," that the bacterial assault had left him with an "all-but-destroyed brain." He notes that by conventional scientific understanding, "if you don't have a working brain, you can't be conscious," and a key point of his argument for the reality of the realms he claims to have visited is that his memories could not have been hallucinations, since he didn't possess a brain capable of creating even a hallucinatory conscious experience.

I ask Potter whether the manic, agitated state that Alexander exhibited whenever they weaned him off his anesthetics during his first days of coma would meet her definition of conscious.

"Yes," she says. "Conscious but delirious."

There are even claims that he made evidence against him disappear.

Someone's got some 'splainin' to do.

[Doubting Thomas]

But if Dr. Phil and Oprah say it's real, then it's real!

[Walking Void]

But if Dr. Phil and Oprah say it's real, then it's real!

Do not forget Doctor Seuss- I mean Oz. This legitimate doctor never goes back on his word right? Right?! Oh... at least He knows what He is advocating, yeah? Oh...

[Bad Writer]

After getting run down by a car when I was seven years old, I thought for sure that I had an out-of-body experience. But just because I thought I was seeing myself from across the street as I stood back up in an agitated state, does that make the event true?

[Faith No More]

After getting run down by a car when I was seven years old, I thought for sure that I had an out-of-body experience. But just because I thought I was seeing myself from across the street as I stood back up in an agitated state, does that make the event true?

Not at all, which you'd think a neurologist would understand.

I'm starting to wonder, however, if the shadiness of his actions and portrayal of the evidence aren't indicative of this whole charade being a scam, and he's not actually a true believer in his experience.

[Tonus]

The man has cashed in

He's probably got a few million reasons to "believe."

[Angrboda]

After getting run down by a car when I was seven years old, I thought for sure that I had an out-of-body experience. But just because I thought I was seeing myself from across the street as I stood back up in an agitated state, does that make the event true?

Not at all, which you'd think a neurologist would understand.

I'm starting to wonder, however, if the shadiness of his actions and portrayal of the evidence aren't indicative of this whole charade being a scam, and he's not actually a true believer in his experience.

I believe Dr. Alexander is a neurosurgeon, not a neurologist. (I missed that in the OP; I should have caught that. And it's not clear how much time he spends at the operating table as he appears to have spent the bulk of his career teaching.)

[Faith No More]

I believe Dr. Alexander is a neurosurgeon, not a neurologist. (I missed that in the OP; I should have caught that. And it's not clear how much time he spends at the operating table as he appears to have spent the bulk of his career teaching.)

Ah, yes. Thanks for the correction.

Regardless, a neurosurgeon does receive basic training in neurology and should very well be aware of the ability of the brain to enter altered states and perceive things that don't exist, correct? Also, his credentials as a neurosurgeon are being peddled to bring an added level of legitimacy to his claims, which he seems all too willing to let people accept.