What is science's explanation for out of body experiences, past life regressions , psychics etc.?

Question

Many people have have OOBE's and past life regressions. How science answer this?

Also, many people believe in psychics and astronomy. Apart from cold reading, what is the explanation for this?

Finally, there are many claims of miracles. For example, there is the case of a boy in Nepal who meditated with no food for 6 whole months and is supported by thousands of eye witnesses. What rational explanation exists for this.

I look forward to reading your answers. Help appreciated.

Answer 1

OOBE's and such.. psychology says that we have a powerful need for belief in such connections, and create them. See latest issue of Scientific American, skeptic column.  There are also neuroreceptor effects on perception of reality, self, etc. that could mimic OOBE.  Something like hallucination.  

With astrology and psychics, the trick is to keep the predictions general enough that they are likely to fit anyone, to be wanted by everyone.  Then you rely on the fact that people remember the ones that fit them and come true and forget the ones that don't.  

Miracles.  Well, yes.  Sometimes the explanations aren't easy, obvious, could be because someone has abnormal circumstances, someone makes mistakes... or maybe they really happen.  In the end you believe what you want to believe, scientific or not.

Answer 2

1)  Test pilots have OBEs in high-g simulations 17% of the time, and are in no danger of dying.  Bright lights, dead relatives, Jesus, you name it.  Same thing.  They've done brain scans of them during these tests.  Turns out it's just your brain freaking out - it's all in your head.

2)  Past life regressions are in the head of your psychiatrist, and THEN in your head, thanks to them.  Plenty of people think they've found a past life, but none of them have ever been able to speak a new language or replicate some skill they didn't have before.  

3)  Psychics who aren't doing cold reading are doing hot reading.  If they can actually do what they claim, they wouldn't have to charge $10 on the street for it - they would win the Nobel Prize for discovering a whole new field of science, and proving several others wrong.  Imagine the fame!  Any scientist would beg to work with a real psychic.  So where are they?

4)  I think you mean astrology.  Astronomy is a real science.  Astrology is fortune-telling.  No one has ever been able to demonstrate it actually works, and there are plenty of simple tests they could use to do so.  This guy's tested a few astrologers, and would be happy to test another if they want his million bucks.  http://www.randi.org   No takers - I wonder why?

5)  No, there are not thousands of miracles.  There are, in fact, no miracles that have ever been documented.  That kid in Nepal was covered up for more than an hour a day - I wonder why?

6)  Find some real evidence and we'll be happy to talk with you.

Answer 3

past life regressions meaning? hmm I think you mean memories, well from a game (assasins creed) you can remember your ancestors memory though dna... which I think it pretty... not real but who knows maybe there is some way we can find this memory... if you mean past life as reincarnation... then eer nah no possible way, the meditation, maybe he just put himself in a death like state... or very long sleep for a long time.

Answer 4

Most people do NOT have OOBE's and past life regressions.  I believe in power of suggestion.

I don't believe in anything else you've asked about.

Answer 5

You mean subtracting outright fraud?  The most common explanation is that when the brain is deprived of oxygen, it triggers all sorts of impressions that seem real, but are not.

Answer 6

Whether you want to or not, you are demonstrating a key value of science.  Science doesn't need to explain any of these things.  Its first task is to evaluate the evidence and discover whether there is indeed a phenomenon that's worth the effort to investigate and then try to explain.  So far, everything in these categories has failed to meet the test of credibility.  I assume you mean astrology (the occult practice of claiming to predict the future based on the time of year) rather than astronomy (the science).

Someone who is 'meditating' is consuming very little energy.  They can survive without food for a long time.  It's not healthy, physically or mentally, but it's possible.

Many people believe fervently in a large number of contradictory things.  Obviously not all are correct.  What people believe is not always a useful guide to truth.

A successful con artist convinces people of the truth of their words.  Some claim to be psychics.  A person with true psychic ability would have no trouble achieving fame and fortune, and standing up to scientific scrutiny.  The fact that none have done so is evidence in itself.