Hello All, I've read Keith Augustin's essay "Case against immortality" on Infidels.org and Keith makes the reference on the Carl Becker book "Paranormal Experience and Survival of bodily death". So I had a look into this book.Becekr discusses different ideas,mostly from Buddhist perspective.But I've been puzzled with his opinion of existence of so-called "etheric bodies" . I know these concepts are derived from Eastern Religions,Theosophy and many parapsychologists believe in their existence.But ,as Douglas M.Stokes states in his Consciousness and the Physical World": "Most parapsychologists remain skeptical about the reality of astral bodies..." What puzzles me is the statements made by Becker "etheric bodies" may even be reconciled with gross materialism.For example,J.Rhine said that "astral boies might well evolve along as we evolved from the lower species" Then I also read about "wave bodies",some "energy fields" etc. First,I personally cannot see how such bodies could simply "evolve". Second,what is the official stance of mainstream science today about existence of such "bodies"?Any scientific evidence? Third,even if something like that DOES exist - how can it former structure like "brain"? And if "no" - how then these "bodies" can be anything more than abstract concept? All thoughts would be appreciated
