A common feature of many normal, paranormal and mystical experiences is that they involve some form of space which is distinct from ordinary physical space but nevertheless communal (i.e. a higher-dimensional reality structure). This suggests that individual minds are connected as part of some Universal Mind, with the brain being a filter rather than a generator of consciousness. This implies the possibility of survival of consciousness after death, with the space required for this having some connection with dream space and memory space. However, the nature of post-mortem identity depends crucially on how the Universal Mind fragments into individual minds (i.e. on how consciousness becomes associated with a particular embodiment). We must therefore understand the process of arrival (birth) as well as survival (death). I argue that this involves the nature of the specious present (the minimum timescale of conscious experience). There could then be a hierarchy of levels of consciousness associated with a hierarchy of specious presents and I discuss the implications of this for the nature of identity.

October 11, 2021: A misadventure into magic, myth, folklore and potent neuro-hacking chemicals. This talk discusses both the scientific and the mystical understanding of people's experiences of visionary encounters with discarnate beings. In all times and places, people have had unnervingly real encounter experiences with deities, demons, angels, elves, aliens, and ghosts. Sometimes these occur when a person is in an altered state – dreaming, on drugs, or is near death. The connection between the altered state and the 'visitation' is explored in a vividly illustrated talk, which takes a personal tour through folklore, mythology, neurochemistry, magic, shamanism, Death and the angel of a thousand eyes, brain anatomy, Tibetan demonology, the pineal gland, art, the Reg Veda, psychoactive toads and a cauldron full of other odd ingredients.