Reincarnation

Reincarnation

Although reincarnation is not a scientifically proven fact, its existence cannot be disproved either. Reincarnation is central to Buddhist philosophy. Without the existence of reincarnation, among other things, the law of karma would not hold, thus throwing into question almost all other tenets of Buddhism (Tibetan or otherwise). At the same time, Buddhism is a religion that asks practitioners to examine each of its beliefs closely before accepting them. Of all other world religions, Buddhism is probably the one that places the least importance on blind faith.

In the light of this belief, it would be interesting to explore the process of reincarnation scientifically. Through the last century, as Buddhism gained more popularity in the West, various people have attempted to study reincarnation systematically. These studies range from in-depth case studies to hypnotic regression experiments and experiences of people who have been through near-death experiences. By conducting these studies researchers wish to see if there exists a scientific basis to Buddhist beliefs.

In the course of my paper, I shall first relate why it may be important from the Buddhist point of view to examine reincarnation scientifically, pausing also to define what the scientific method truly means. Then I shall describe the various studies that have been conducted in this field, concentrating mainly on the research of Dr. Ian Stevenson, who is regarded as the foremost authority in this field. I will then review sceptical arguments offered against the findings of these studies. I will conclude that, for now, belief in reincarnation will have to rest on faith alone since "proof" for it is scientifically untenable.

Faith and Scientific ...

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