ESP
Topics
Extrasensory perception
Extrasensory perception involves the ability to acquire information through means other than the
traditional five senses, tapping into intuition and telepathy.
Evidence for ESP is largely anecdotal, lacking in empirical support.
Common types of ESP include clairvoyance, precognition, telepathy, and psychometry.
The scientific community generally views claims of ESP skeptically due to the lack of
reproducible experimental evidence.
People claiming to have ESP often experience heightened sensitivity to non-verbal cues,
coincidences, or gut feelings.
Parapsychology
Parapsychology is the study of paranormal phenomena related to the mind and behavior, such as
extrasensory perception (ESP) and telepathy.
It explores phenomena that cannot be explained by current scientific understanding.
Parapsychologists investigate telekinesis, clairvoyance, and near-death experiences.
Research methods include controlled experiments and case studies.
Critics argue that parapsychology lacks empirical evidence.
Psychic phenomena
Psychic phenomena involve extrasensory perception and telepathy, allowing individuals to
perceive information beyond the ordinary senses.
Precognitive dreams may offer glimpses of future events.
Psychometry involves reading information from objects through touch.
Remote viewing is the ability to see distant or unseen targets using the mind.
Clairvoyance pertains to the ability to see events or gain information that is not present.
Key Terms
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance refers to the ability to perceive events, people, or objects beyond the normal
sensory range, often associated with intuition or extrasensory perception.
Commonly depicted as having visions of the past, present, or future.
May involve seeing images or receiving mental impressions of information that cannot be
perceived through the physical senses.
Can manifest in different forms such as precognition, retrocognition, or remote viewing.
Belief in clairvoyance has existed in various cultures and is often associated with psychic
abilities.
Precognition
Precognition refers to the ability to foresee and predict future events or outcomes before they
actually happen. It is often considered a form of extrasensory perception.
Often associated with intuition and gut feelings.
May manifest through dreams or flashes of insight.
Believed to be a psychic ability beyond scientific explanation.
Can be developed and strengthened through practice and awareness.
Psychokinesis
Psychokinesis refers to the ability to manipulate objects using only the power of the mind,
demonstrating the influence of mental energy on physical matter.
Also known as telekinesis, psychokinesis is often considered a form of extrasensory
perception.
Some believe psychokinesis could potentially be used to move objects, affect events, or even
control machines without physical interaction.
Research into psychokinesis has been controversial and met with skepticism from the
scientific community due to a lack of empirical evidence.
Psychokinesis has been a popular topic in science fiction and paranormal literature, leading
to its widespread cultural fascination.
Skepticism
Skepticism involves questioning information presented, seeking evidence, and not accepting
claims at face value.
Skepticism encourages critical thinking and examining various perspectives.
It is essential to differentiate between skepticism and cynicism in evaluating information.
Maintaining a healthy level of skepticism can help in avoiding misinformation and making
informed decisions.
Being skeptical does not mean being closed-minded but rather being inquisitive and open to
exploring different possibilities.
Telepathy
Telepathy refers to the purported ability to transmit thoughts or communicate with others
through extrasensory perception.
Telepathy is often associated with psychic phenomena and parapsychology.
The concept of telepathy has been explored in various fictional works, contributing to its
popular culture representation.
Research on telepathy has been met with skepticism due to the lack of empirical evidence
supporting its existence.
Individuals claiming telepathic abilities may actually be utilizing subtle cues and body
language to convey information.
Zener cards
Zener cards are a set of 25 cards with five different symbols used in parapsychology
experiments to test extrasensory perception (ESP) abilities.
Each Zener card features one of five symbols: circle, square, star, cross, and wavy lines.
The cards were developed by psychologist Karl Zener and his colleague, parapsychologist
J.B. Rhine.
Subjects in experiments try to guess the symbol on each card without seeing it, testing for
clairvoyance or telepathy.
The use of Zener cards in research has been controversial, with skeptics questioning the
validity of ESP testing.
