EXPERIMENT LOG ENTRY #1

This is the beginning of our logs documenting the progress of [REDACTED]. This project was started on [DATE REDACTED] and is expected to last approximately [REDACTED].

Before beginning work on the experiments, we must establish the premise of the project itself. The remainder of this first entry will be spent discussing the theoretical background of the experiments, as well as the goal of the project.

[DATA EXPUNGED]



POST-MORTEM CONSCIOUSNESS

Until [DATE REDACTED], it was uncertain whether consciousness could exist in the absence of a physical substrate such as the brain. Many scientists and philosophers were convinced for theoretical reasons that it could not, and evidence to the contrary needed to surpass extremely high standards to be accepted. This standard was finally met on [DATE REDACTED] due to the occurrance of [DATA EXPUNGED] in a laboratory in Russia, confirming the veridicality of out-of-body and near-death experiences reported all over the world for centuries.

[DATA EXPUNGED]



THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT

[DATA EXPUNGED]


METHODS

The method by which we will attempt to achieve these goals is extremely controversial. As things are, no ethics board in existence would approve these procedures, and as such we cannot carry them out in public. Thus, this project must be kept secret, with only trusted personnel being given access to materials. Despite the short term ethical concerns, we believe that the cost is worth it, as [DATA EXPUNGED]

The crux of this experiment is a theoretical psychological state that has been postulated to exist known as [REDACTED]. No instances of this state have ever been observed, but it must exist in order for [REDACTED] to be possible. If this state can be shown to be impossible, then the possibility of [REDACTED] will be ruled out.

[DATA EXPUNGED]

The first part of the experiment, then, will be to attempt to put someone into this theoretical psychological state.

Experiments will begin on [DATE REDACTED]. 41 subjects were recruited; of these, 18 backed out when given a chance. None of the subjects were notified of what they were agreeing or not agreeing to; the question of participation was simply put forward, and subjects were given the choice of whether or not to agree to an experiment they did not know the details of. The fact that a majority agreed to go through with it was rather shocking. Perhaps it can be attributed to morbid curiosity. Whatever the case, we can only hope that the 23 participants will not regret the choice they made.