Slightly Psychic?

[lessal]

This is actually a semi serious Post, contrary to any impressions the title may give (virtual cookies for the clever clogs who gets the reference by the way).

I have always thought myself to be an open minded sort of person, however, I'm also deeply cynical; my personality, being a direct result of the constant internal battle between those two

Comments

[katura]

I consider myself a skeptic to all things which means I require evidence before I 'believe' them. In scientific studies of things of this sort, it's shown that people always remember the times when they've done something 'psychic' and it stands out to them, and all the millions of times they are NOT 'psychic' are forgotten. So the reality is that coincidences happen, sometimes, and they seem extraordinary, so we remember them. But the majority of the time, there is no coincidence, so we don't remember the existence of nothing. So the percentage of time that these 'psychic' things occur is not enough to show that any of us are actually psychic. If that makes sense!

[lessal]

As a rule I agree, but when does coincidence become something else? How many times does it have to be, or how 'bizaree' do the events need to be?

Lx

[katura]

I think there's no evidence that there is 'something else', so my thought is that it's always coincidence. If someone was convinced there was 'something else' going on, they could have it scientifically tested and see what comes of it. But I think there's a reason that all such studies have come up with no 'something else' happening.

[katura]

Of course, like you mention, sometimes it isn't just down to coincidence, and it's a case of picking up on subtle signals from people, or knowing someone so well you maybe know them even more than you think, and can therefore predict their behaviour, for example.

[gamer_gal]

Yes, I totally believe in the sixth sense, ESP, etc abilities. My family - mom specifically - has exhibited signs of having it. Stuff like thinking about someone and picking up the phone to have them be there, sending out vibes to call, etc

[ginsu]

One area where humans are mind-bogglingly good is pattern recognition -- we do this so constantly and so automatically we aren't even aware of it, and then without realizing the pattern we still take advantage of the pattern.

This, for instance, is how starting with zero knowledge we all learn to talk. Chessmasters are chessmasters not just because they can calculate different combinations of moves, but mainly because they recognize the way different types of games tend to develop based on past experience.

It seems to me obvious that some of us are probably better than others at recognizing and applying patterns, and also that this kind of skill can be used in social situations and that it can generate a psychic-like effect. Agatha Christie's character Miss Marple is a good fictional example of what I'm talking about, if you've read any of those books.

I have certainly freaked out a number of women I've dated by noticing and applying patterns based on tiny cues.

[lessal]

But BECAUSE it's exhibited by so few people isn't then a SIXTH sense? i.e. a sense that the majority of people don't have? Does that make sense?

Lx

[ginsu]

Well, to me a "sense" is a way information gets into your brain: smell, hearing, touch, sight, taste. Pattern recog is more about what you do with the information once it's there.

You could make a case that it's a special ability, though, like a tiny superpower.

[lessal]

That makes sense. I like the idea too...

Lx

[dweezie]

I like the pattern recognition argument, but I see no reason why it can't be both. I can only speak from personal experience, but I know mothers especially seem to have a sense for what their children need, even when the child cannot express it and the father is sitting there frustrated because he doesn't understand how the mother can possibly know. Yet, she does! Women also seem to have a "sense" for when other women are pregnant or menstruating, even if there are no visible symptoms or previous knowledge by which to discern a pattern

[lessal]

Yeah, that's the sort of thing I'm talking about - not a 'bolt of lightning' kind of clue more a 'hunch' something you can't put your finger on or an instinctual answer which makes no sense but is right...

Lx

[eyesonstars]

Oh, I do! I believe in ESP as in "knowing" without the conscious knowing.