What Does psychic Mean
The term psychic is used to refer to everything that is related to the functions and elements of a psychological nature. In any case, it is interesting to note that this concept is also usually linked to parapsychology , a discipline based on the analysis of psychological behaviors and phenomena whose characteristics and derivations have not yet been addressed by scientific psychology .
It should be noted that parapsychological research includes a wide range of methods, including laboratory research and field work. Among the phenomena that he observes and examines are extrasensory perception , telekinesis and the supposed life after death.
Regarding extrasensory perception, it can be said that it is the ability to collect information through unconventional ways, that is, through means not associated with the traditional senses: taste, sight, touch, smell or hearing. The word includes, therefore, sources of information not endorsed by the scientific universe .
Telekinesis or telekinesis, on the other hand, gives as valid the possibility of moving objects without requiring the intervention of specific physical means. This idea is linked to levitation , the name by which the prolonged suspension in the air is known that a certain body or object can achieve.
It must be taken into account that parapsychology is not accepted as a science, since it does not make an absolute use of the scientific method nor has it promoted testable theories by this same procedure. Therefore, the level of psychology and the natural sciences are not equal .
Skepticism
The magician Canadian James Randi created in 1996 the Educational James Randi Foundation , which devotes all its efforts to unmask the media personalities who claim to have supernatural powers . But the work of this skeptic began long before the existence of its foundation, with numerous appearances in the media and even with the publication of several books.
One of his first targets was the self-proclaimed psychic Uri Geller, who became very famous by making alleged demonstrations of telikinesis and telepathy on television, his specialty being bending metal objects with his mind . James followed this man's work closely, carefully studying every trick, every move, and always found a logical explanation for everything he saw.
In the seventies, Uri Geller was invited to the program The Tonight Show , in the United States, and Randi managed that the mentalist's team did not have access to the materials that would be provided for his show , thus preventing the use of previously manipulated utensils. During the broadcast, Geller, who had no idea of the trap that had been set for him, declared that he felt too much pressure from the host and did not make any demonstrations.
James Randi has traveled through various countries, revealing the secrets of illusionists of all types and nationalities. In fact, for decades it has offered huge sums of money to anyone capable of performing some paranormal act under certain observation . Interestingly, despite having conducted hundreds of tests, no one has managed to overcome the simple restrictions that applied to demos.
Without a doubt, the most renowned fraud that this man uncovered was that of Peter Popoff, a healer who claimed to communicate with God to intercede in the recovery from all kinds of ills. In his show, which was attended by hundreds of spectators, he randomly addressed people in the audience, and tried to test his powers by mentioning very specific personal information, such as address, names of relatives and diseases. During a television appearance, Randi demonstrated that Popoff received this information from his wife and through a wireless intercom . This meant his bankruptcy and his disappearance for almost 20 years; after his return, he recovered and even multiplied his old fortune.