Stephen Braude, PhD, served as chairman of the philosophy department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He has also served as president of the Parapsychological Association. He is author of Crimes of Reason, The Gold Leaf Lady, Immortal Remains, The Limits of Influence, First Person Plural, and ESP and Psychokinesis. He is the recent recipient of the prestigious Myers Memorial Medal awarded by the Society for Psychical Research for outstanding contributions.

Here he suggests that in order to engage in the scientific study of post-mortem survival of personality, it is important to begin by clarifying exactly what is being studied. This requires an understanding of such terms as human identity and continuity. He notes that there are many ways, in daily life, that we ascertain the identity of other individuals without requiring the presence of a physical body. These same methods are applicable in survival research. He also discusses the philosophical issues associated with the living agent psi hypothesis as an alternative to post-mortem survival.

(Recorded on July 9, 2016)

Published on September 2, 2022