February 21, 2022: It is fairly well-known that the first recorded description of a near-death experience occurs at the end of Plato’s Republic. But in my opinion, Plato’s Republic is also the first (and maybe only) attempt to describe a social order that is in harmony with the spiritual truths recollected in the NDE. Plato’s famous “allegory of the cave” can now be better understood because of the NDE; and also, I will argue, the NDE can be better understood through Plato’s allegory.

January 24, 2022: The turn from figurative art to the depiction of internal experiences opened the door for artists to represent anomalous experiences and ostensible psi phenomena. Non-figurative artists particularly starting in the 20th century were influence by scientific theories of the ether and hypergeometric dimensions, the development of technological advances showing the reality of unseen electromagnetic waves and wireless communication at a distance, Spiritualism, and the inception of psychical research. This presentation will focus on how psi phenomena have been an important topic and source of inspiration in various modern and contemporary movements including Surrealism and Abstract and Conceptual art.