Dr. Leo Ruickbie is a social scientist specializing in controversial beliefs and exceptional experiences. He was awarded a doctorate for his work on contemporary witchcraft, magic, and re-enchantment from King's College London and is the author of six books. He joined guest host Connie Willis (info) to discuss winning third prize in the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies essay contest on the best evidence for life after death.
Ruickbie shared his experiences in Germany and compared them to his experiences in the UK regarding ghost stories and the cultural attitudes towards the paranormal. In the UK, ghost stories are commonplace and people are open about sharing them, while in Germany it is challenging to find people who will talk about such tales openly, he revealed. Studying these subjects faces significant taboos, Ruickbie continued, noting the need for a more sideways approach through social sciences to explore people's experiences and beliefs without directly confronting the truth or falsehood of the phenomena.
Ruickbie reflected on participating in the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies essay contest. He explained the rigorous selection process and the importance of presenting strong, scientific evidence for life after death. Ruickbie admitted he used the contest as an opportunity to deeply explore the evidence and confront his doubts, drawing parallels to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and the character of Scrooge, who initially doubts his own experiences. This process led him to conclude that there is something substantial to the evidence of life after death.
Ruickbie delved into the nature of consciousness, presenting the idea of consciousness as an "immaterial identity format" — something that is recognizably oneself but not necessarily physical. He explored the debate between whether the brain produces or receives consciousness. If the brain receives consciousness, it opens the possibility that consciousness could survive bodily death and possibly explain phenomena like apparitions, near-death experiences, and premonitions, he suggested. Ruickbie also expressed his belief that mainstream science often dismisses such evidence because it contradicts the dominant model that the brain generates consciousness.
The final hour of the program was devoted to Open Lines.