Sam Parnia Aware II Update

Yes.

The problem is that it will probably involve more waiting and given the brain waves found, the funding could be reduced by this discovery.

The problem is that it will probably involve more waiting and given the brain waves found, the funding could be reduced by this discovery.

In my opinion that's an unnecessarily pessimistic view of the future possibilities. As has been pointed out many times, simply having brainwaves cannot explain all of the NDE/RED reports. More relevant, there doesn't seem sufficient data to ascribe any particular role for such brain activity as was recorded. A proper scientific response is to conduct further research in order to gather more data and then gain a better understanding of that data at least, even if the meaning or significance may be a much more difficult task.

In my opinion that's an unnecessarily pessimistic view of the future possibilities. As has been pointed out many times, simply having brainwaves cannot explain all of the NDE/RED reports. More relevant, there doesn't seem sufficient data to ascribe any particular role for such brain activity as was recorded. A proper scientific response is to conduct further research in order to gather more data and then gain a better understanding of that data at least, even if the meaning or significance may be a much more difficult task.

Of course I don't mean it explains everything, but the "skeptics" have influence over the thoughts of others as of now, and this could influence funding and motivations in further studies.

The problem is that it will probably involve more waiting

But waiting for what? There will never be some kind of official anouncement that consciousness continues (or life after "death" as the media style it) from the "religious" fanatics in the mainstream  establishment. They loath near death experience and want it to f**k off and die. Everything was going great until the newly resuscitated started "blabbing" and ruined it.
 
Now they have to contend with the dreadful proposition that life is not just a composition of random particles assembled for no reason by a meaningless accident with no consequences. My "god", "god" might even be in his "heaven", "god" forbid. And there's nothing worse than that, is there (they say). Soft headed, sentimental, feeble minded, irrational crutch seekers, who can't face up to their own mortality.  

Apologies of course, I'm being facetious (again) but I feel that way out of the moment.

You're right @tim , "There will never be some kind of official announcement".

I noticed before the results of the first AWARE study, there seemed to be a kind of expectation of a turning point. I've long considered that basically unnecessary, like those who thought the year 2000 or in the Mayan calendar 2012 would bring some dramatic shift. Others await the second coming of Christ - which is always 'imminent'. The mysteries of consciousness have been debated for thousands of years, it would be unrealistic to expect some easy breakthrough.

Of course 20th-century science had its breakthroughs in relativity and quantum physics. But consciousness - I think there has always been knowledge emerging here and there, again and again in different times and places. Often it has turned into religions and then into offshoots and disagreements - I tend to think these things must remain fresh and discovered anew, like fresh green shoots of springtime to avoid becoming fossilised. But maybe I tend too much towards the poetic.

You're right @tim , "There will never be some kind of official announcement".

I noticed before the results of the first AWARE study, there seemed to be a kind of expectation of a turning point. I've long considered that basically unnecessary, like those who thought the year 2000 or in the Mayan calendar 2012 would bring some dramatic shift. Others await the second coming of Christ - which is always 'imminent'. The mysteries of consciousness have been debated for thousands of years, it would be unrealistic to expect some easy breakthrough.

Of course 20th-century science had its breakthroughs in relativity and quantum physics. But consciousness - I think there has always been knowledge emerging here and there, again and again in different times and places. Often it has turned into religions and then into offshoots and disagreements - I tend to think these things must remain fresh and discovered anew, like fresh green shoots of springtime to avoid becoming fossilised. But maybe I tend too much towards the poetic.

The physicalist paradigm going as far as creating new theories based on outdated research shows how the world is not even close to cracking the mystery of consciousness... When actual experts in the area do layman mistakes, it's a clear sign that little advancements happened.

You're right @tim , "There will never be some kind of official announcement".

I noticed before the results of the first AWARE study, there seemed to be a kind of expectation of a turning point. I've long considered that basically unnecessary, like those who thought the year 2000 or in the Mayan calendar 2012 would bring some dramatic shift. Others await the second coming of Christ - which is always 'imminent'. The mysteries of consciousness have been debated for thousands of years, it would be unrealistic to expect some easy breakthrough.

Of course 20th-century science had its breakthroughs in relativity and quantum physics. But consciousness - I think there has always been knowledge emerging here and there, again and again in different times and places. Often it has turned into religions and then into offshoots and disagreements - I tend to think these things must remain fresh and discovered anew, like fresh green shoots of springtime to avoid becoming fossilised. But maybe I tend too much towards the poetic.

Great comment, Typoz !

The physicalist paradigm going as far as creating new theories based on outdated research shows how the world is not even close to cracking the mystery of consciousness... When actual experts in the area do layman mistakes, it's a clear sign that little advancements happened.

They don't seem to understand what the problem is. They talk about "their" consciousness almost as if it's something dispensible (they don't really need it that much, bit like urine) when in fact it's all they are. Without it, there's nothing, because without being aware that there's "something", there may as well be nothing.

I don't think consciousness (what it is, where it comes from) is even approachable as a question. My best guess would be that it's fundamental but that tells us absolutely nothing. I do believe we'll all find out though, which is quite exciting in one sense.