Psionics or Psychosis?
 

What do all of you think of the possibilities of the mind? Do you think ESP could be possible? Telepathy? Telekenisis? Astral Travel? People claim many things and even more think they're completely insane.

If you think it is possible, then how? If you don't think it's possible, well we can guess what you'll say, but you're welcome to say it anyway.

I have my theories that I'll post later, but I want to see what you guys think first.

Given that we've went from naked unshaven hill pilly to going to the moon, I think that in some form or eventually our technology will make us nigh godlike so that seemingly supernatural powers nower is like flicking a lightswitch to our ungrateful descendants who can't appreciate their gifts.

As for those things existing now, I can't beleive they're still wasting money in paranormal research when proper science has more or less proven it bung. There's lots of weirdo's out their looking into things like that, and lots of folks who want it to be true, so I'm sure that if it really is true it'll be front page news, but the fact that it hasn't been yet is pretty damning evidence that its a load of crap.

Bingo. Ever test done on the matter (which wasn't later discredited, as happened in one or two ugly cases) has failed to show any evidence whatsoever for psychic powers.

What are you talking about, Psychic powers are totally real! Anyone who thinks otherwise is just stupid. See, I can read minds, and you're thinking I'm a total nutcase.

Yeah, because I am.

What I is that ESP and such will be possible but we are not near that evolutionary point yet, I mean last time i check we only use something like 10% of our brain so figure by about the year 20004 we'll either have become extincted or evolved to the point where mental will can physically manifest. thats all for now. Spiffy has Spoken.

um... spiffy, we only use 10% cuz the rest is for memory. Also, sure ESP may certainly be possible, maybe the person has some sort of extra gland that they were born with that allowed them to percieve the chemicals in anotehr persons head and interpret them appropiately. Also, i sincerely doubt we'll be extinct even if we end up nuking ourselves due to our sheer perseverance. Furthermore, we wont be evoloving into a more advanced form cuz there's no need. According to i think darwin, the enhancement has to be able to help creatures better survive. Humans dont have any trouble survining that esp could fix. Also, im pretty sure i knwo wat it is, but wat does ESP stand for? Yea i pretty much jumped all over the place, but meh.

when i meant 10% i meant in total, if i used 90% of my brain for memory I should be able to remember my own birth. As for extinction your right about that one. But if a new problem dosen't come up in 20000 years and we find no need to evolve we'll be damn lucky. Extra Sensory Perception. Spiffy Has Spoken.

1: Natural selection states that some kind of advantage that is present in a specific organism not only increases its chance for survival, but for sexual reproductivity, and the subsequent survival/reproductive ability of the offspring. That basically means that its irrevelant that modern humans don't NEED some genetic advancement. It means that if the genetic advancement was present, it would eventually displace the "norms" because it would enable greater sexual reproductivity/success than those "norms"

2: The natural laws of science(physics, biophysics, chemistry, biochem) and human anatomy(biology) cannot support such outrageousness as ESP and psychokinesis, regardless of how cool those abilities would be. For starters, concerning ESP, we would need a specialized organ for recieving data(analogous to the eyes or ears) AND specialized brain faculties for interpreting data(analogous to.... the brain... um, yeah..)

As for telekinesis? Well, we'd need to first of all have some kind of way to project force without mechanical manipulation...... which is basically impossible unless we somehow developed some gigantic iron-rich organ that can send out REALLY powerful magnetic fields or graviton-like forces..... and then we'd need some way to direct that force with a decent level of accuracy.... another organ. And all organs involved would require TONS of energy. Each. More than a human could ever produce without dying.

So basically: If there were people who could REALLY do crazy stuff like TK and ESP, they could be spotted from a mile away. Because they would be freaking mutants. And thats a whole other discussion.

the first three years of your life are spent forming the structure for memory and development, which is why you can't remember much from then. on average, until 5 memories are pretty crap. i can remember only 5 or so distinct events in my childhood, but i can remember EVERYTHING perfectly. i can go to my backyard and retrace every footstep, every expression. why? because my brain decided to use that as a test.

the 10% thing is also pretty stupid, considering that brains can go far beyond 10% if they are subjected to a lot of stimuli. as you read this, you probably aren't doing a math problem, pondering existance, being hit with a nailgun and hugged at the same time... so you're probably focusing on your screen instead.

just a note: the act of reading this won't really stimulate you, as its been proven that any action that is hardwired into you becomes much less stimulating to the brain (the test was done with super mario.. so it must be true.)

That 10% thing is an urban myth. One of those things which one person said and then another person said and then suddenly, for no apparent reason, it became truth.
Studies have been done. Let me assure you, we use way beyond 10% of our brain; Hell, we use more than that just to keep ourselves alive on a day to day basis.