Old Souls (book)

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Old Souls: The Scientific Search for Proof of Past Lives
Old Souls - The Scientific Evidence For Past Lives.jpg
Author Tom Shroder
Cover artistJulie Metz
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Investigative Journalism
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Publication date
1999
Media typePrint (Hardback)
Pages256
ISBN 0-684-85192-X
OCLC 42273755
133.9/01/35 21
LC Class BL515 .S46 1999

Old Souls: The Scientific Search for Proof of Past Lives is a non-fiction book by journalist Tom Shroder. An editor at The Washington Post, Shroder traveled extensively with psychiatrist Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia, who conducted past life and reincarnation research in Lebanon, India and the American South. [1] Shroder's journalistic experience makes this book a valuable review of an often disparaged subject.

Contents

Stevenson's informants were 3000 [2] children spontaneously remembering recent ordinary lives, as opposed to adults remembering under hypnosis romantic or heroic lives in the distant past. [3] In addition, birthmarks that occur at the sites of injury in the previous life constitute an important part of Stevenson's evidence. [4]

Stevenson's methodology involved listening to stories, comparing and contrasting variants of stories, verification or falsification of empirical claims, and constructing long, detailed narratives that attempt to "capture" the complex experience of his informants, who claim to remember incidents from past lives. In this sense Stevenson's work is similar to that of ethnographers and cultural anthropologists. [4]

While Stevenson wrote extensively on his reincarnation studies, his work earned limited circulation outside academia. At the outset, Shroder sees his role not only as observer, but also as skeptic. But as his journey with Stevenson progresses, Shroder finds it increasingly difficult to reject the possibility of past lives. [5]

Reception

Jack Coulehan, writing for the New York University of Medicine said "This book provides a good introduction to the work of Ian Stevenson, a man who qualifies for this database because he has devoted his professional life to the study of narrative. Stevenson's methodology involves listening to stories, comparing and contrasting variants of stories, and constructing long, detailed narratives that attempt to 'capture' the complex experience of his informants, who claim to remember incidents from past lives. In this sense Stevenson's work is similar to that of ethnographers, cultural anthropologists, and folklorists". [4]

David Wallis, writing for The New York Times has said "After years of mockery from colleagues, Dr. Ian Stevenson, Director of the Department of Personality Studies at the University of Virginia, is finally getting respect". [6]

More critically, the philosopher and skeptic Robert Todd Carroll wrote that "Old Souls is an interesting read but the author is not very critical in his observations. He takes a lot at face value and seems not to understand the dangers of confirmation bias." [7]

Old Souls received considerable media attention following publication, in the Los Angeles Times , [8] Chicago Tribune , [9] and other sources. [10] [11] [12] [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Reincarnation Concept of rebirth in some religions and cultures

Reincarnation is the philosophical or religious belief that the non-physical essence of a living being starts a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. It is also called rebirth or transmigration.

Ian Stevenson Canadian parapsychologist, reincarnation researcher

Ian Pretyman Stevenson was a Canadian-born U.S. psychiatrist. He worked for the University of Virginia School of Medicine for fifty years, as chair of the department of psychiatry from 1957 to 1967, Carlson Professor of Psychiatry from 1967 to 2001, and Research Professor of Psychiatry from 2002 until his death.

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Xenoglossy, also written xenoglossia and sometimes also known as xenolalia, is the putative paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language he or she could not have acquired by natural means. The words derive from Greek ξένος xenos, "foreigner" and γλῶσσα glōssa, "tongue" or "language". The term xenoglossy was ostensibly coined by French parapsychologist Charles Richet in 1905. Stories of xenoglossy are found in the Bible, and contemporary claims of xenoglossy have been made by parapsychologists and reincarnation researchers such as Ian Stevenson. There is no scientific evidence that xenoglossy is an actual phenomenon.

<i>Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation</i> book by Ian Stevenson

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Past life regression is a technique that uses hypnosis to recover what practitioners believe are memories of past lives or incarnations. The practice is widely considered discredited and unscientific by medical practitioners, and experts generally regard claims of recovered memories of past lives as fantasies or delusions or a type of confabulation. Past-life regression is typically undertaken either in pursuit of a spiritual experience, or in a psychotherapeutic setting. Most advocates loosely adhere to beliefs about reincarnation, though religious traditions that incorporate reincarnation generally do not include the idea of repressed memories of past lives.

<i>Life Before Life</i> book by Jim B. Tucker

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Jim B. Tucker American psychiatrist

Jim B. Tucker is a child psychiatrist and Bonner-Lowry Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. His main research interests are children who claim to remember previous lives, and natal and prenatal memories. He is the author of Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children’s Memories of Previous Lives, which presents an overview of over four decades of reincarnation research at the Division of Perceptual Studies. Tucker worked for several years on this research with Ian Stevenson before taking over upon Stevenson's retirement in 2002.

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Brian Weiss American psychiatrist

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<i>Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect</i> book by Ian Stevenson

Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect is a 1997 book by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson, published by Praeger. The book is about birthmarks and birth defects ostensibly associated with reincarnation. Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect is written for the general reader and is a condensation of a two-part monograph Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects.

<i>Reincarnation and Biology</i> book by Ian Stevenson

Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects is a 1997 two-part monograph written by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson and published by Praeger. Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect is a condensation of the two books written for the general reader.

<i>European Cases of the Reincarnation Type</i> book by Ian Stevenson

European Cases of the Reincarnation Type is a 2003 book by psychiatrist Ian Stevenson, who conducted research into claims of reincarnation. The work focuses on different reincarnation research case studies in a Western setting. It was Stevenson's last book before he died in 2007.

Robert F. Almeder is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Georgia State University. He is known in particular for his work on the philosophy of science, and has also written on the philosophy of mind, epistemology and ethics. He is the author of 24 books, including The Philosophy of Charles S. Peirce (1980), Death and Personal Survival (1992), Harmless Naturalism: The Limits of Science and the Nature of Philosophy (1998), Human Happiness and Morality (2000), and Truth and Skepticism (2010).

Shanti Devi was an Indian woman who claimed to remember her past life, and became the subject of reincarnation research. A commission set up by the Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi supported her claim, while another report by researcher Bal Chand Nahata disputed it. Subsequently, several other researchers interviewed her, and published articles and books about her.

Tom Shroder is a journalist, writer and editor who worked for the Washington Post for many years.

Antonia (Tonia) Mills is a professor in First Nations studies at the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada. Her current research interests include First Nations land claims, religion and law, and reincarnation research. Mills met Ian Stevenson in Vancouver in 1984 and was impressed with his reincarnation case studies. Since 1964, she has done field work with the Beaver Indians.

References

  1. ↑ "Searching out Old Souls", by Karen R. Long, Sarasota Herald-Tribune , August 19, 1999, page 5E. Online at Google News. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  2. ↑ Professor Ian Stevenson // The Daily Telegraph, February 12, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Time and Again", by Claire Douglas, The Washington Post , Oct 17, 1999, page X.06. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Coulehan, Jack (2006-11-30). "Old Souls: The Scientific Search for Proof of Past Lives". New York University. p. 1. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  5. ↑ Kenny, Thane (January 10, 2000). "Little Johnny Just Isn't Himself Today". Weekly Wire.
  6. ↑ Wallis, David (September 26, 1999). "Conversations/Dr. Ian Stevenson; You May Be Reading This In Some Future Past Life". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Carroll, Robert Todd (2013). "Ian Stevenson (1918-2007)". The Skeptic's Dictionary . Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  8. ↑ Mary Rourke. Book Review; Connected by Forces Beyond Our Grasp Los Angeles Times, August 10, 1999.
  9. ↑ Peg Gould. No Quick Answers to Question of Reincarnation Chicago Tribune, September 13, 1999.
  10. ↑ Soulful: Psychiatrist States Case for Reincarnation Winston-Salem Journal, August 14, 1999.
  11. ↑ Alan Cabal. How Old Is Your Soul? New York Press, September 1, 1999.
  12. ↑ B. John Tanasychuk. Who Were You? Sun Sentinel, August 19, 1999.
  13. ↑ Karen R. Long. Old Souls Saratosa Herald Tribune, August 19, 1999.
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