What do you think?
Rate this book
Reincarnation
This is the first comprehensive and systematic evaluation of reincarnation and Karma in any language. Renowned philosopher Paul Edwards exposes the many flaws in the arguments supporting the belief in reincarnation and the so-called Law of Karma. He also covers the alleged evidence in support of reincarnation, including child prodigies, deja vu experiences, hypnotic regressions, and "reincarnation memories." Finally, he discusses in some detail the claims of the leading figures in the recent immortality movement, in particular Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross, Raymond Moody, and Dr. Stanislov Grof. Edwards' wit and clarity make this a fascinating, accessible, and enjoyable work.
- GenresNonfiction
315 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Paul Edwards
24 books9 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 20, 2023
He does not say it explicitly, but Edwards has a very simple theory about reincarnation. He thinks anyone who believes in reincarnation is stupid, ignorant, misinformed, delusional, or fraudulent. No other explanation is necessary. This is why Edwards hardly bothered to include other arguments in his book.
Edwards is primarily interested in attacking the most ineffective and unscientific advocates of reincarnation. Of these he gives the least effective advocates the most attention. Edwards says he finds the theories "quite fun" and amusing and spares no effort in trying to ridicule them.
Unfortunately, this leaves little room in his book for a serious critique of reincarnation theories. The entirety of what he offers reduces down to just six arguments.
-Why can't we remember past lives? If we can't remember past lives, those lives have no survival.
-Reincarnation is inconsistent with evolution.
-Life is a recent development in the universe, which contradicts souls living forever.
-The population has grown too much for there to be enough souls.
-If people reincarnate, why don't they keep mature egos?
-Consciousness cannot exist without a brain.
Only a sixth of his book focuses on these few arguments and I found that part quite disappointing because it rests on cocksure assumptions. The recency of life in the universe is a fine example of this. When was that proven? At this time, almost nothing is known about life out in the universe.
Edwards offers other arguments, but they're ridiculous and ineffective at best. An example; if souls exist as astral bodies - where do the clothes they wear come from? Who manufactures these garments? This fills space, but contributes nothing to the greater debate.
The debate about reincarnation has moved far beyond a place Edward's book could contribute. Honestly, I find it hard to imagine this was a genuine contribution to the discussion even at the time it was published. There is a need for critical examinations of reincarnation, but that isn't found here.
There is no reason to read this book. Save your time.
Edwards is primarily interested in attacking the most ineffective and unscientific advocates of reincarnation. Of these he gives the least effective advocates the most attention. Edwards says he finds the theories "quite fun" and amusing and spares no effort in trying to ridicule them.
Unfortunately, this leaves little room in his book for a serious critique of reincarnation theories. The entirety of what he offers reduces down to just six arguments.
-Why can't we remember past lives? If we can't remember past lives, those lives have no survival.
-Reincarnation is inconsistent with evolution.
-Life is a recent development in the universe, which contradicts souls living forever.
-The population has grown too much for there to be enough souls.
-If people reincarnate, why don't they keep mature egos?
-Consciousness cannot exist without a brain.
Only a sixth of his book focuses on these few arguments and I found that part quite disappointing because it rests on cocksure assumptions. The recency of life in the universe is a fine example of this. When was that proven? At this time, almost nothing is known about life out in the universe.
Edwards offers other arguments, but they're ridiculous and ineffective at best. An example; if souls exist as astral bodies - where do the clothes they wear come from? Who manufactures these garments? This fills space, but contributes nothing to the greater debate.
The debate about reincarnation has moved far beyond a place Edward's book could contribute. Honestly, I find it hard to imagine this was a genuine contribution to the discussion even at the time it was published. There is a need for critical examinations of reincarnation, but that isn't found here.
There is no reason to read this book. Save your time.
March 13, 2020
While I don't share many of the views of the author, he presents a side of the "reincarnation debate" that you're not going to hear often. I quite enjoyed this book. He attacks the subject. LITERALLY attacks the subject in the exact way a thinking human should. More men should stand up and attack widely held beliefs because if you start analyzing them you end up in the same position Mr. Edwards firmly stands in!
August 17, 2024
PERHAPS THE MOST EXTENSIVE PHILOSOPHICAL CRITIQUE
Paul Edwards (1923-2004) was an Austrian-American philosopher, who was the editor-in-chief of MacMillan's eight-volume 'The Encyclopedia of Philosophy,' and lectured at New York University, Brooklyn College and the New School for Social Research. He has written/edited other books such as 'Immortality,' 'Heidegger's Confusions,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1996 book, "The belief in reincarnation and Karma has been steadily gaining support in recent decades. This is no doubt... one aspect of the tide of irrationalism that has been flooding the Western World, especially the United States. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of reincarnation and Karma and the present volume is designed to fill this gap. I have attempted to state, fairly and fully, all the main arguments offered in support of reincarnation and Karma. I have tried to show that this evidence is worthless... I try to show that the law of Karma is no law at all, offering only post hoc explanations. Reincarnation is not an empty theory... but many facts are clearly inconsistent with it... [such as] population increases... [or that] Neither of the two criteria for personal identity---bodily continuity and memory---are satisfied in alleged cases of reincarnation..." (Pg. 7-8)
He asks the questions: "How... are good and bad deeds registered? Is there some cosmic repository like a huge central social security office in which the relevant information is recorded and translated into some kind of 'balance'? Next, how and where is it decided what will happen to a person in his next incarnation... How and where, for example, is it decided that in the next life he will become a human being rather than a roach, a man rather than a woman, an American rather than an Indian... Finally, there is still the problem of how such decisions are translated into reality. As an illustration I will use a natural disaster, the famous Lisbon earthquake of 1755... just how did this nonintelligent principle [Karma] set up the geological forces so as to achieve the desired results with complete precision?" (Pg. 39-40) He adds, "It is farfetched... to suppose that all the people who perished in Lisbon or all the Jews murdered by the Nazis deserved exactly the same treatment." (Pg. 41)
He admits, "The case for reincarnation seems to be strongest when we come to child prodigies. For here it must be admitted that so far genetics and psychology have told us very little that is specific." (Pg. 50) He also respects Ian Stevenson [author of books such as Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation], saying, "I have the highest regard for his honesty. All of his case reports contain items that can be made the basis of criticism. Stevenson could easily have suppressed this information. The fact that he did not speaks well for his integrity." (Pg. 102)
Edwards' book will be loved by those critical of reincarnation, and (often) despised by supporters of the theory; but it is "must reading" for anyone seriously studying the matter---whether one agrees with his positions, or not.
Paul Edwards (1923-2004) was an Austrian-American philosopher, who was the editor-in-chief of MacMillan's eight-volume 'The Encyclopedia of Philosophy,' and lectured at New York University, Brooklyn College and the New School for Social Research. He has written/edited other books such as 'Immortality,' 'Heidegger's Confusions,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1996 book, "The belief in reincarnation and Karma has been steadily gaining support in recent decades. This is no doubt... one aspect of the tide of irrationalism that has been flooding the Western World, especially the United States. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of reincarnation and Karma and the present volume is designed to fill this gap. I have attempted to state, fairly and fully, all the main arguments offered in support of reincarnation and Karma. I have tried to show that this evidence is worthless... I try to show that the law of Karma is no law at all, offering only post hoc explanations. Reincarnation is not an empty theory... but many facts are clearly inconsistent with it... [such as] population increases... [or that] Neither of the two criteria for personal identity---bodily continuity and memory---are satisfied in alleged cases of reincarnation..." (Pg. 7-8)
He asks the questions: "How... are good and bad deeds registered? Is there some cosmic repository like a huge central social security office in which the relevant information is recorded and translated into some kind of 'balance'? Next, how and where is it decided what will happen to a person in his next incarnation... How and where, for example, is it decided that in the next life he will become a human being rather than a roach, a man rather than a woman, an American rather than an Indian... Finally, there is still the problem of how such decisions are translated into reality. As an illustration I will use a natural disaster, the famous Lisbon earthquake of 1755... just how did this nonintelligent principle [Karma] set up the geological forces so as to achieve the desired results with complete precision?" (Pg. 39-40) He adds, "It is farfetched... to suppose that all the people who perished in Lisbon or all the Jews murdered by the Nazis deserved exactly the same treatment." (Pg. 41)
He admits, "The case for reincarnation seems to be strongest when we come to child prodigies. For here it must be admitted that so far genetics and psychology have told us very little that is specific." (Pg. 50) He also respects Ian Stevenson [author of books such as Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation], saying, "I have the highest regard for his honesty. All of his case reports contain items that can be made the basis of criticism. Stevenson could easily have suppressed this information. The fact that he did not speaks well for his integrity." (Pg. 102)
Edwards' book will be loved by those critical of reincarnation, and (often) despised by supporters of the theory; but it is "must reading" for anyone seriously studying the matter---whether one agrees with his positions, or not.
December 16, 2008
love books about reincarnation; this one is good!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews