Extra Sensory Perception ESP Basics

The human experience traditionally uses five recognized methods of perception or “senses” sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. In the world of paranormal research often, a “sixth sense” is mentioned. This sixth sense has the token handle of ESP, or Extra Sensory perception. There is no scientific proof Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) exists.

Many would be magicians, disguised as psychics, have demonstrated their supposed ESP abilities; such as the likes of Uri Geller. To date there are NO known (reputable) experiments for ESP with conclusive results.

Testing Extra Sensory Perception

Traditional psychical research involves the use of Zener cards. Zener cards include pictures of a circle, square, star, wavy lines, and plus sign.  A typical Zener deck contains twenty-five cards in the deck and five kinds of cards, there is a one in five or 20% chance that any given card is on top of the deck or being viewed by a sender. Of course, these odds change as soon as a card is removed from the deck. The odds for each selection can remain identical only if each card is put back in the deck and the cards are thoroughly reshuffled after each selection.

From the point of view of the guesser, however, as long as no feedback is given while going through the deck with a sender, each card has a one in five chance of being the card on top at any given time. A correct “guess” is called a “hit”. Anything significantly higher than 20% hits in the long run would indicate that something other than chance is at work. In the short run, higher percentages are expected, on occasion, by chance.

Psychic Glossary Terms

CLAIRVOYANCE – CLEAR SEEING – the supposed faculty of perceiving things or events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.
CLAIRAUDIENCE – CLEAR HEARING – the power to hear sounds said to exist beyond the reach of ordinary experience or capacity, as the voices of the dead.
CLAIRSENTIENCE – CLEAR FEELINGS – the sense of intuition because people who also have clairsentient abilities can gather information from non-living materials such as buildings or outside areas also without the use of the five senses.
CLAIRCOGNIZANCE – CLEAR KNOWING – the ability for a person to acquire psychic knowledge without knowing how or why he or she knew it.
CLAIRALIENCE – CLEAR SMELLING – The ability to smell in a way that isn’t connected to their physical senses, on distances beyond their normal ranges or being able to sense scents that are beyond earthly means.
CLAIRGUSTANCE – CLEAR TASTING – The paranormal ability to taste a substance without putting anything in one’s mouth. It is claimed that those who possess this ability are able to perceive the essence of a substance from the spiritual or ethereal realms through taste.

Is there any science behind psychics, mediums, and sensitives

For simplicity we will combine the separate orders of ESP under the namesake psychic. Most persons claiming to be psychic do not try to verify their abilities via the scientific method. Those few that have tried controlled scientific methods have failed to deliver. This does not mean science has of absolute means excluded the existence of psychics. But, the burden of proof remains in the hands of so called psychics.

Psychic proponents often point the finger of blame at the scientific community for failure to conduct psychic research. In 1979 half a million dollars was donated to the Washington University (in St. Louis) to create the McDonnald Laboratory for Psychical (si ka kal) Research. Of the original 300 self claimed psychics that applied only two persons were deemed remarkable.

In the following three years the two subjects were given multitude of tests. Observing scientists were amazed. Unfortunately for the scientists, it was all fake, they had been fooled. James (the Amazing) Randi, the dedicated skeptic-activist had heard about the grant money and devised a plan. Randy in all fairness warned the lab via post, that certain protocols and attention to detail when arranging the experiments to prevent any deception on the part of the test subjects. The advice was dismissed.

The two remarkable psychics were, two talented young magicians, trained by Randy himself. The James Randi Educational Foundation has further issued the, “One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge.”To date, no one has passed the preliminary tests….

Ghost Hunting with Psychics

Some parapsychologists, believe that certain apparitional experiences may be a form of psychic phenomenon. These apparitions usually involve very complex visions such as the transformation of entire room settings. Poltergeist activity is also believed by some researchers, to be a form of psychic phenomenon, tied to a specific person. So does it make sense for a ghost hunting group to use psychics?

From the paranormal researchers point of view it would be advisable, to avoid Psychics (as a source of reliable information). If including a psychic on an investigation, clear definable directions, testing, and recording of information should be used. As stated before, “HITS” – (correct observations) should be correlated against incorrect.

Era of sensitives

Let us back track to the New Age idea of “Sensitives.” Surely some persons must be more sensitive to the external conditions of the World? All humans possess a range of feelings and emotional reaction to stimuli. Some persons are far more empathetic than others.

I clearly remember my daughter crying hysterically after Bambi’s mother dies, I on the other hand had no emotional response. Some persons are simply more emotionally apt at applying, “how would I feel in that situation?” Does that mean one day they will be able the chat with the dead, or pick winning lottery numbers?

Most likely the answer would be no however there was time people believed the Earth was flat and not round. As our knowledge and understanding of the Universe expands so does the probability that anything is possible until it is proven impossible.