Charles Murray and Steven Pinker Debate Terminal Lucidity
Steven Pinker recently faced the cancellation of a book tour by a humanist group, suggesting he is no longer seen as a leading figure among atheists. Five years ago, few would have expected political scientist Charles Murray, known for his social analysis work Coming Apart (2012), to author Taking Religion Seriously (2025). In this new book, Murray explores traditional religious perspectives on life's meaning, treating them as possibly valid rather than dismissing or condescending toward believers.
Terminal Lucidity Examined
Murray discusses the phenomenon of terminal lucidity—the sudden mental clarity some individuals exhibit shortly before death. Referring to the largest systematic study detailed in Alexander Batthyány’s Threshold, he notes:
"In the only systematic study with a large sample, described in Alexander Batthyány’s Threshold, about 20 percent of the cases involved nonverbal communication (e.g., gestures, gaze) or verbal communication that was semi-coherent. In the other 80 percent, people who had been unable to communicate anything were suddenly alert and 'back' to their former personae. Terminal lucidity can last from minutes to a few hours. It is almost always followed by death within a day or so, with complete mental relapse in the interim."
This phenomenon has been documented and discussed over the years. Even skeptics who suspect terminal lucidity might be mere random brain activity admit uncertainty. Science writer Jesse Bering comments,
"I’m as sworn to radical rationalism as the next neo-Darwinian materialist."
Despite his skepticism, Bering acknowledges the mystery of terminal lucidity.
Summary
Charles Murray’s new work challenges conventional secular assumptions by seriously considering religious experiences like terminal lucidity, sparking renewed debate on consciousness and death.