Within Reason

#122 Robert Greene - Near-Death Experiences and the Mind Apart From the Brain

126 snips
Sep 21, 2025
Bestselling author Robert Greene joins to explore profound topics such as near-death experiences and the nature of consciousness. He defines the sublime as a break from cultural limits, sharing how his own near-death experience reshaped his views on life and death. Greene dives into the clash between neuroscience and accounts of veridical near-death experiences, revealing a fascinating debate about the mind versus the brain. He also discusses practical ways to achieve sublime experiences without psychedelics, linking them to ancient rituals and modern human desires.
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INSIGHT

Sublime As Escape From Cultural Limits

  • The sublime breaks you out of culturally conditioned thinking by taking you beyond behavioral and mental limits.
  • Robert Greene sees modern culture tightening those limits and wants to expand experience deliberately.
ANECDOTE

Writing Saved Greene's Spirit After Stroke

  • After his stroke Greene felt physically limited and found the book project saved his spirit and will to live.
  • He describes watching others' freedom from the perspective of someone constrained by disability.
ANECDOTE

Stroke Made Death Visceral

  • Robert Greene nearly died after finishing his last book and was unconscious in a coma, which changed his relationship to death.
  • The event made death visceral and turned his book project into a personal crusade.
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