Author’s Note: What follows is my deconstruction of a ludicrous article which appeared in the Times of India recently – perpetuated by the American Dr. Stuart Hameroff. Remember that India is currently controlled by the far-right (fascist) BJP – which uses religious ignorance (and illiteracy) amongst the masses to retain power via the democratic process. Dr. Stuart Hameroff is peddling ridiculous pseudo-science – and it is difficult to believe that he is medically qualified and permitted to operate amongst the general public. The Buddha – over 2,500 years – methodically proved that no “atma” (the Brahmanic “soul”) does not exist. Legitimate medical science has never found any evidence for the existence of a “soul”. The dishonesty contained in this article goes further than mere subjective opinion – as Dr. Stuart Hameroff fully admits that the brain is “alive” – when he asserts the brain is “dead” – and that he has observed the “soul” leaving it! India has not experienced any significant socio-economic development – with 90% of the population being unable to read and write – whilst living in an abject poverty that is never relieved. Perhaps all they have to look forward to “death” – so that their soul can be released into some sort of disembodied paradise! ACW (2.10.2025)
The measuring of physical (material) processes have no link to any religious dogma – and outside of a false equivalence – there is no mechanism to make an imaginative doctrine fit into (or be laid over) a scientific schemata. Non-living bodies (i.e. pre-existing bodies) come into being via the chemical processes surrounding the sexual congress between compatible genders. Once conceived, a living body grows, matures, stabilises, and then ages. A living body will stop functioning either “naturally” (through old age) or “unnaturally” via illness or injury. Deceased bodies have “died” that is a fact – but many are unaware of just how “many” types of death are recognised by medical science, For instance, death at the “cellular” level can be defined as:
a) apoptosis (the natural death of cells as a normal part of an organism’s growth or development)
b) necrosis (the unnatural death of living cells due to injury, trauma, infection, lack of blood flow, or chemical exposure)
c) ferroptosis (an iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxides within a cell – a disruption of antioxidant capacity – leading to oxidative damage and cell death)
d) pyroptosis (an inflammatory and lytic form of programmed cell death triggered by inflammasomes and executed by gasdermin proteins)
Cellular death does not necessarily equate to the death of the organism – and can be reversed and cured (although if untreated can be fatal). On the other hand, death involving the entire organism is fatal and can be described as:
1) clinical death (reversible cardiac-respiratory arrest)
2) biological death (permanent loss of blood and oxygen circulation and respiration)
3) brain death (irreversible loss of brain function)
Science has revealed that “dying” is not as simple as many religions have assumed it to be. An individual can be “brain” dead – whilst the body is otherwise still biologically functioning and in all other ways “healthy”. This is usually the scenario that involves the medical harvesting of healthy organs for transplant into other individuals with medical needs. Obviously, the transplanting process leads to the physical body being legally and lawfully “euthanised” – justified by the now deceased owner having given prior, written consent. Another example is that the brain can be fully functioning and cogent – whilst the body it occupies is either clinically or biologically “dead” (sometimes “both”). In this situation, the body is usually kept alive – through mechanical – means that are “withdrawn” at some point due to the “expense” of its maintaining by the healthcare provider.
A body, once dead, has to be disposed of in a clean and efficient manner as a means of maintaining public health. A rotting body, due to the petrification process, is subject to intense cellular breakdown and disintegration. The smell, sight, and material consequence of this is disturbing for living people to behold, and dangerous for various health reasons, etc. This is why the body first placed in a freezer so as to slow down the rotting process, before it is either buried, entombed, or cremated, etc. In some parts of the world, other rituals are pursued, but all end with the body being removed from sight and physical contact with the living population. The deceased individual is then remembered through some type of replacement symbology. Meanwhile, religious ideology and dogma offer various theories as to “where” the personality of the deceased person has gone. – referring to such an entity as a “spirit”, “soul”, “consciousness”, or “atma”, etc.
Dr. Stuart Hameroff, writing in his article dated 12.4.2025, (Science finds the proof of soul leaving the body: This may blow your mind) – states that he thinks that by observing the various biological processes associated wit the dying process – he has discovered the “soul leaving the body”. This is an interesting ascertain to make – given that nowhere in this article does he “identify” the soul. As Dr. Stuart Hameroff has not identified the soul – logic would suggest that there is no soul to see “leave the body” – but we will soldier-on and see what else the esteemed doctor has to say. To be process, this is exactly what the good doctor has to say on tis matter – I quote:
Dr. Stuart Hameroff is basing his theory on an individual that is “clinically dead” (but not brain dead, or biologically dead). He seems to think that a brain that is still alive and functioning as a live brain does – is somehow indicative of a) the existence of soul, and b) that soul leaving the body. To be clear, the good doctor has admitted the brain is not dead (clinical death) – whilst simultaneously asserting that the brain is “dead” in an attempt to prove he has found a “soul”. He further compounds this illogical situation by referring to “gamma synchrony” – a living process which refers to the synchronized activity of gamma waves (30-90 Hz) operating between neurons and the various brain regions. This is a fundamental brain (living) process essential for cognitive functions like memory, attention, and perception. Although the body is dying – the brain is not yet dead – and what the doctor is reporting is merely perfectly normal brain activity as the organism moves toward complete shut-down and death. It is quite extraordinary that a person trained in the scientific method would lisuse that method to such a degree in an attempt to prove theistic religion to be literally correct. He is hoping his audience is ignorant as to the science of death – and that out of fear they will all be running to purchase whatever book he happens to be peddling. This strategy works as most people tend not to read much past the headlines!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 