1. Do Neuroscientific Explanations of Religious Experiences lead to Naturalism? By Assoc. Prof. Dr. Theol. Anne L.C. Runehov

2. Lay-out Introduction Michael Persinger –Epelipsy and Religious Experiences –Philosophical problems Andrew Newberg and Eugene d’Aquili –Absolute Unitary Being (AUB) –Philosophical problems Conclusion

3. Introduction Living in the Age of Neuroscience –Clinical neuroscience, Experimental neuroscience, Cognitive neuroscience, Affective neuroscience, behavioural neuroscience (the Social neurosciences) –Increasing interest in mental phenomena (the riddle of consciousness) –Increasing interest in religious phenomena (the effects of meditation)

4. Helpful Not so much helpful Brain and mind correlate Brain generates mind

5. Comprehensive ontological naturalistic version based on ontological reductive methods. Minimalist ontological naturalism version based on methodological reductive methods

6. What is Neuroscience? First known brain surgery Neuroscience: roots in early Greek medicine Nerve energy electircal not spiritual (19th century) Neuron: basic component similar for all creatures (19th century) 100 billions neurons (today)

7. ‘[I]t has been calculated that the number of possible permutations and combinations of brain activity, in other words the numbers of brain states, exceeds the number of elementary particles in the known universe’ (Ramachandran 2003, 4). >

8. Dark energy and matter: 95% of the universe Dark brain energy: DMN ‘[O]ur conscious interactions with the world are just a small part of the brain’s activity. What goes on below the level of awareness–the brain’s dark energy, for one–is critical in providing the context for what we experience in the small window of conscious awareness’ (Raichle 2010, 33).

9. Measurebility, testibility and repeatibility

10. Michael Persinger There does not exist any God – religious experiences have nothing to do with any God or Ultimate Reality – it is all about brain activity and nothing else (Persinger). The Helmet

11. Newberg & d’Aquili The fact that one can observe specific brain activity that correlates with specific religious experiences and that this brain activity is equal for Everybody who has such an experience indicates that God has to be real. (Newberg and d’Aquili)

12. Epilepsy and Religious Experience UFO Poltergeist Telepathy Religious experiences ?

13. Amygdale: The Watchdog Hippocampus: the diplomat During an epileptic seizure, the the watchdog takes the diplomat by surprize Hypothalamus

14. Epilepsia (Greek): to lay hold of, seize, attack Hippocrates: On the Sacred Disease Latin: Morbus Sacer Only God can throw a person on the ground like this and bring him or her to life again.

15. The PPI Have you ever experienced a sensed presence despite nobody beside you being in the room? Have you ever experienced hearing a voice which was not your own when nobody was talking to you? Are you religious? Do you meditate?

16. Cognitive Kindling Epileptic seizures can be evoked by stimulating specific parts of the brain, for example the right temporal lobe. Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) Persinger’s Original Helmet Magnetic Stimulation TMS

17. Questions 1.Vibration, out-of body experiences, spinning around: RE? 2.Double blind study? Implications of experimenter-interaction? 3.Increased RTL activity: TLE, Schizophrenia and RE but Decreased FL activity: TLE, Schizophernia Increased FL activity: RE (Scott Atran) Different neuroanatomies 4.RE: communication with some Ultimate Reality

18. TLE and the Saints St. Paul, Joan of Arc, St Teresa of Avila, St Birgitta of Sweden, Swedenborg,... Vadstena nunnery Reliquary, shrine 1303-1373

19. Did St. Birgitta have Epilespy? ForAgainst Tunor: Hyperostosis frontalis interna Variation of experiences/ already as young Frontal-lobe epilespsy not TLE High amount information Glowing globeComplex writings Dostoevsjij (But TLE)No record of St.Birgitta having seizures

20. Persinger: not very helpful because (1)Biased questionnaires (2)No imaging (3)Biased agenda

21. Newberg and d’Qquili God or Ultimate Reality is REAL Tibetan Buddhists at meditation Franciscan Nuns at Prayer

22. Neural correlations Amygdale-Hippocampus-Hypothalamus complex Posterior Parietal Lobes (PSPL). PSPL: –3D pictures of the body in space –Self-other and self-world distinction

23. AUB: –Feeling completely united with God or UR –No experience of self –No experience of self in space –No experience of self in time Cross religions – meditation or prayer techniques Neurologically: Total deafferentation of the right and left PSPL

24. 1.If AUB ↔ total deafferentation of the L and R PSPL. 2.2 different total deafferentations of the PSPLs are not possible 3.All who meditate, regardless of the meditation technique used, will sooner or later experience AUB 4.Those who experienced AUB belonged to different religions

25. Conclusion There cannot be two different AUB regardless of religion. Hence: Experiencing AUB has to be equal for all experiencers. Consequently, God or Ultimate Reality is real and AUB becomes the invariant element in all religions.

26. Philosophical problems Not enough attention to Cultural-religious-personal aspects Plasticity of the Brain: Brain are like faced Total deafferentation: clinical condition Multiple Realization Principle

27. Study on Glossolalia Individuals speak in an incomprehensive language that has no linguistic structure Individuals lack control over vocalization Decrease in left frontal activity – decrease in thalamic activity Indicates: expressive language parts are not directly affected: the individual does not speak voluntary!

28. Individuals do have complete control over what happens Meaning providing experience Increase in PSPL (contrary meditation and prayer Indicates: no loss of self or space or time Increase in limbic area Indicates: The altered emotional state

29. Newberg and d’Aquili: helpful because (1)Valid Research (2)Show important and different (!) neural correlations for different RE (3)However at times speculative

30. Conclusion Need for interdisciplinary based research on religious phenomena.

31. The whole story Sacred or Neural? The potential of Neuroscience to Explain Religious Experience 2007: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen ISBN 978-3-525-56980-1