Reincarnation

This is a wonderful work by great philosopher Paul Edwards.I should rather say that this is the only work along with Immortality(again by Paul Edwards) that has completely disected, bisected and reduced to shreds the case of Reincarnation. Immortality is a slightly different work as in that book, Edwards is an editor and has done the wonderful job by not being biased in any way by producing the views by different scholars over the ages that are in favour of reincarnation as well as the ones who are not in its favour. Being born and brought up in India I have been hearing this view throughout my life: reincarnation and Karma ,which is the basic foundation of Hinduism. This was propagated in Hinduism by Brahmans to deal with Caste system and later to justify the sufferings in the world. To sum it up, it is the philosophy followed by people who are a burden to society and dont have the guts to stand up and reach out to the people to alleviate there misery and suffering.This was opposed by Carvaka school of thought as well, but Edwards has not listed it.Even some Sikhs have started believing in this sick and utterly superfluos so called philosophy.Basically any religion following this so called philosophy of Karma and Reincarnation is not a religion but a social disease.Some have gone so far as to compare it with the Law of Conservation of Energy and Karma with the Newton's third law of motion. Paul Edwards has effectively dealt with all these points and the result is this wonderful work ,Reincarnation : A Critical Examination.

Only guillible believers in reincarnation who has shut their minds to the facts, their consciences, and different viewpoints could possibly review this book poorly. It is an excellent work, but only understood in its full implications by minds free of childish fantasies

I am rather surprised at the quantity and inanity of bad reviews for this book. It is rather inexplicable to me - perhaps they read something else. To me, this book is a very rigorous and entertaining voyage into the arguments, concepts and proponents of reincarnation. Paul Edwards dissects the reincarnation idea and discusses the idea of personal identity, the period that is supposed to lie "between lives", and various other problems of reincarnation. In Chapter 14, he notably discusses five powerful scientific arguments against reincarnation : Tertullian's Objection, Reincarnation and evolution, The recency of life, The population problem and the Absence of memories. He also argues against many aspects of reincationation, such as the idea of "karma" or of an "astral body", the Modus Operandi problem, the idea of conservation of mental energy which underpins the idea of reincarnation, and many others besides.His book is written in a very intelligent and humorous way. It is also obvious that Edwards' knowledge on the various positions and arguments related to the subject is nothing less than breathtaking. His extensive lampooning of the "research" of the main proponents of reincarnation is entertaining as well as shocking. No one should be without this book. I say this honestly and not lightly, since I think the question of death should concern everyone and this book is definitively a great reference on the subject of the doctrines of reincarnation.

Before reading this book ask yourself if you are willing to change your view on a subject, no matter how comforting or how long held, if enough solid criticism can be found. If you answered no and believe in reincarnation (and tangentially in any afterlife) than this may not be good to read, at least for your emotional comfort. My new found definitiion of denial: reading "Reincarnation: A Critical Examination" and still believing in recycled souls.

Very systematic, yet full of humor. Each page is a real joy! If somebody is "agnostic" about the issue, he will stop. If somebody will (still) adhere to this stupid idea, he is really stupid himself!