posted on Dec, 22 2008 @ 04:23 PM
The word psychic (pronounced /ˈsaɪkɨk/; from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul, mental") refers to the ability to perceive things hidden from the
normal senses through what is described as extra-sensory perception, or to those people said to have such abilities. It is also used to refer to
theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation and cold reading to produce the appearance of such abilities. It has also been used
to describe the belief of the ability of the mind to influence the world physically and telekinetic powers some claim to demonstrate, such as Uri
Geller.
Belief in psychic phenomena is widespread in the United States, where a 2005 Gallup poll revealed that 41 percent of Americans believe in
extra-sensory perception.[1] Psychics appear regularly in fiction and science fiction, such as the The Dead Zone by Stephen King, Jean Grey from the
Marvel comic book universe or Alice Cullen from the Twilight Series written by Stephenie Meyer. A large industry exists where psychics provide advice
and counsel to clients,[2] though debunkers attribute such putative powers to intentional trickery or self-delusion.[3][4][5][6] Some famous
contemporary psychics include Miss Cleo, Sylvia Browne, and John Edward.[7]
The scientific community has rejected claims of psychic phenomena,[8][9][10] and no compelling evidence of psychic phenomena has been found.[11] A
study using neuroimaging published in 2008 provides the strongest evidence yet obtained that paranormal mental phenomena do not exist.
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