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professionally, with both patients and colleagues.
NDEs may be on the verge of getting more attention in an unexpected

way. As we turn more and more of our lives over to computers, that tech-
nology raises many of the same questions that NDEs do. They force us to

think about consciousness. Does a robot have consciousness? Is that what
“smart” means? Does a driverless car, which makes its own decisions, have
consciousness? At what point does a calculating machine become more like

a mind, or a conscious thing?
What is consciousness, anyway? Even scientists don’t agree on one
answer. How is it that when we “lose consciousness” we’re not aware of

anything, but when our hearts stop and we enter an NDE, we can be aware
of so much? Why do fighter pilots, who can lose consciousness while turn-
ing at high speeds, report feelings of euphoria and separation from their

bodies but no life review? Is consciousness something that exists apart from
the individual? Is it somehow shared with others? Or is it unique to each

individual, reflective of one’s perceptions and experiences?
“In our lifetime we will figure it out,” Parnia says. “We will know
what’s happening.”

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