Psychic powers.

[stormcat]

Because Characters in my story have psychic powers. but I need some help explaining how they work, why someone would have them and why someone else would not, where is this mental energy stored and things like that. What I'm looking for:

1. A logical explination of how these powers work
2. A logical argument as to why only certain people have certain "powers"
3. Another name for these abilities besides "powers".

[CandyCoatedCute]

I'll see if I can help.

1. It would really depend on the powers, "Psychic powers" is a pretty broad term. Are we talking Telepathy (mind reading), Telekinesis (moving thing with will power alone), the ability to see the future or something else?
Telepathy is a thing where another's thought become visible to the listener through a one sided connection.
The best explanation for seeing the future is that the human brain absorbs data continuously. To prevent an overload of data the mind ignores things that aren't about right now.
I don't know how to explain the other one.
2. Maybe a higher intellect? Something spiritual?
3. They are ofter called gifts, abilities, curses among other things. It depends on the setting.

[Demeter]

1. Evil scientists.
2. Evil scientists.
3. Evil scientists. The specific power? You could just call it telepathy, but I agree with CandyCoatedCute - it depends on the setting.

[stormcat]

Okay, I already have the "Powers" in mind (I know what telepathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance and all that are, But I'm going to throw some new ones in)

1. I just need a brief explanation. Demeter, You're not helping (Besides, in this story people are born with them)
2. The story takes place in a psuedo-scientific world (Think Alchemy. Applying laws of science to what is essentially magic). Spirituality is right out. I'd prefer to stick with something psuedo-sciency. Though, I've heard of some animals having "electroperception" perhaps I should look into that?
3. Again, it's all alchemy. These abilities can be studied, measured, replicated and predicted, and the general populace has come to accept them as "something people are born with".

[Demeter]

Well, it's not like you gave us much context.

For number three, I think the term "abilities" might work best. The psychic powers could be compared to how some people are naturally talented at, say, playing the piano, right? Some people have the powers, some don't, like some people can easily read music/play the piano.

Could it be possible that some people believe it's just a natural step in evolution? To be honest, I would go to the library and see if any science fiction writers have included [insert psychic power here]. You obviously wouldn't want to rip them off entirely, but it could be useful for gathering possible ideas.

[stormcat]

Mar 20, 2011 21:25:12 GMT -8 Demeter said:

Well, it's not like you gave us much context.

For number three, I think the term "abilities" might work best. The psychic powers could be compared to how some people are naturally talented at, say, playing the piano, right? Some people have the powers, some don't, like some people can easily read music/play the piano.

Could it be possible that some people believe it's just a natural step in evolution? To be honest, I would go to the library and see if any science fiction writers have included [insert psychic power here]. You obviously wouldn't want to rip them off entirely, but it could be useful for gathering possible ideas.

Hmm... I like just calling them abilities. But it still seems a little... too broad. How about _____ Abilities?

Oh, and I've come across this one interesting theory. It works like this:
"Human beings live naturally inside a static cloud, generated by their own body. This cloud gains strength when they do, can be refueled by eating, sleeping, the same things it takes to power the body. The cloud is present around every human being, and leaves them when they are dead. The thing about this cloud is that with careful training, a person can learn to manipulate this electric cloud to do things like lift objects, Measure the cloud rate of another person, use the cloud to manipulate other people's perceptions, generate electrical pulses, and some of the most skilled people can actually use their clouds to steal energy from other people."

I just need a more scientific term than "cloud".

[Demeter]

That does sound good. Dunno what to do with the blank, though.

You could use "orbital"? Cloud is a scientific term, though, and more accurate for what you're trying to say. In Chem, we spent two months on things involving electron clouds.

[Wham Bam I Am! Jam]

When it comes to psychic powers, that "cloud" is known as an energy field or an aura.

[Demeter]

^ That too. I forgot about auras.

[stormcat]

Orbital might work... but I'm keeping my options open

Edit: Aura seems a bit.... too spiritual. I'll stick with Orbital.

[stormcat]

Actually, I'm going to use the term "Aureola". It sounds all scientific, plus it can be easily confused for "areola" which my create some fun humor.

[Pinkemon]

If I am not mistaken, there have been people in the who suggested that psychic abilities had something to do with a certain part of the brain whose function isn't all that clear.

Sadly, I can't really remember the name of that part of the brain.

[Wham Bam I Am! Jam]

Mar 21, 2011 12:43:50 GMT -8 Demeter said:

^ That too. I forgot about auras.

How could you?

[Demeter]

Mar 26, 2011 14:34:23 GMT -8 Wham Bam I Am! Jam said:

Mar 21, 2011 12:43:50 GMT -8 Demeter said:

^ That too. I forgot about auras.

How could you?

It's spring break. My brain won't be back until Monday night.

[Story Keeper]

Maybe just call them mental abilities? Other than that, I've got nothin'.

[reynard]

Technically researchers called it psi to avoid a term that wasn't tied to cause and effect like perception. Psi also covers any kind of unexplained energy like psychic healing and poltergeist phenomenon.

I'm not sure if I could give you a good explanation right now. I don't have the time to do the looking through the book I have on psychic powers. I could give you a breakdown of how researchers define psychic abilities though, if it will give you a clearer picture.

CandyCoatedCutie made a good distinction. Psychic is a broad word.

Psi has two main categories, ESP (Extra Sensory Perception), and PK (Psychokinesis). There is a big difference.

ESP includes things like telepathy, precognition (Alice Cullen), clairvoyance (psychic visions ONLY through the sense of sight), clairaudience ("clear hearing", like clairvoyance but perceived ONLY through the sense of hearing), etc.

PK is things like telekinesis and levitation.

You can make the distinction with a radio metaphor. ESP is like a radio receiver, it gets signals in but doesn't put out. PK is a radio transmitter, it puts out and shakes up the world, but doesn't take in. People can be one or the other or both.

Researchers say that there are actually three ways to get psychic powers.

1. Inheriting them genetically. Sometimes it can skip a generation.

2. Getting a head injury like a concussion or some other severe emotional or physical trauma (not recommend).

3. Studying and practicing psychic abilities. Researchers admit that psychic abilities developed this way are never as proficient as those gained through methods 1 and 2.

And even though I can't do any deep research right now, I can at least say that whatever the mechanism is, it's probably centered in the frontal lobe of the brain, especially for something like telepathy.

The frontal lobe of the brain, at the front of the head, is the place where all higher level functions are performed, including complex thought. If any of these abilities are based in thought, something must be different in the nerve structure there. Either there or one of the areas related to the senses or both.

On a secondary note, the further back you go in the brain towards the base of the neck, the more basic the functions get.

That's why you have complex thought in the front of the head, and at the base of the neck you have the medulla, the part of the brain that controls the autonomic nervous system, which allows the heart to beat automatically and tells the lungs to breathe without any conscious effort.

Does that help for right now? That's all I can give you right now.