Wow, I'm glad this thread has gotten so much discussion so far, nice.

Quote Originally Posted by VinceField View Post
You are assuming here that the environment experienced during an OBE is the physical environment. Even when the environment closely resembles the physical world, it is probably not the case that the projector is actually operating within the physical dimension. It is actually a rather common experience for the OBE environment (one appearing as a nearly exact replica of the physical world) to change seemingly on its own accord. Considering the plethora of dimensions possible to experience beyond the physical world during an OBE (call it astral projection if you may, I am using these words synonymously), I think it's safe to say that alterations of these nonphysical environments have absolutely nothing to do with the physical dimension.
I definitely have to say, in this case, that you are arguing something entirely different here. I never even considered the fact that an OBE could take place in a dimension separate from the physical plane. That being said, it makes little sense to me for this experience to be called an OBE. I have to ask a question at this point. During OBEs, do you still have some kind of "astral body" or are you merely an observer? If the former, how is this any different from a dream, if it doesn't take place in our physical "dimension"? If the latter, is the absence of a body the sole criterion for an experience to be labeled as one such as out-of-body? If that's the case, I've had plenty of dreams that were OBEs. If that doesn't quite meet the criteria for an OBE, then what additional conditions must be met?

The thing that just left me the most confused was why you would call an experience that doesn't take place in our physical dimension an OBE. An overwhelming majority of OBErs claim that OBE is real, and the only proof they can provide is to observe something that they could never observe given they are lying down in another room. If they go somewhere else, you move into completely unfalsifiable territory, like shared dreaming. We cannot, with our current technology and understanding of the reality we inhabit, possibly hope to prove or disprove a totally subjective experience. There really isn't too much reason trying to argue what something is and isn't at that point.

The thread was created initially to typify that point, but it was also to get those who believe they are indeed having OBEs explaining how they are so certain it is actually and why they believe that to be true. Given the fact you only have your own senses to rely on in such an experience, with no third party to verify what you think you know, then how can you know? And I don't mean to say it is impossible to have an OBE with this statement, it shouldn't be taken that way. It is simply a question of how it is you can actually know what is going on without any technology or tools backing up what you are experiencing. The obvious answer should really be that you can't, but since people are still convinced, I wanted to know why they believed that. So far I have yet to see any answer that shows how you can truly know what you think you know is happening.