ESP and Other Psi Powers Are Real

There is no doubt whatsoever that so-called "paranormal" abilities such as ESP exist. This has been proven over and over again by responsible scientific investigation, as explained in the many books listed at stewardsoftheflame.com, quite apart from the extensive evidence from human history. But the issue is generally confused by all the other things, often silly things, associated in the popular mind with the terms "paranormal," "psychic," and "parapsychology," and by the use of the word "supernatural" in connection with psi phenomena. Those that are real aren't in any sense supernatural; they are simply human (and in some cases animal) capabilities that we don't yet understand.

Properly speaking, parapsychology is the scientific, usually academic, study of psi: that is, extrasensory perception (ESP) -- telepathy, clairvoyance (now often called remote viewing), and precognition -- and psychokinesis (PK). It generally does not involve investigation of ghosts, although some scientists do include the question of survival after death, which I personally consider a separate issue, within its purview.

Skeptics are fond of pointing out that many people who claim to be psychics are frauds. Of course they are; but there is, after all, plenty of fraud in other areas. This does not mean that no one has real psi abilities. We do not stop buying cars because some used car salesmen are crooks, nor do we distrust stockbrokers in general because some of them sell phony stocks. Genuine psychics with conscious control of their powers are rare, to be sure; most psi occurs unconsciously. In my opinion unconscious psi has been, and still is, vastly more prevalent than anyone imagines and has had a major impact on human history. Why isn't this recognized? Why do so many otherwise open-minded people, scientists in particular, vehemently reject evidence that in any other context would be indisputable? Kira's explanation on page 187 of Stewards of the Flame seems to me the most likely one.

I believe the conscious development of human psi abilities lies in the future -- that it will be an evolutionary advance, not, as some people think, a return to something lost the past. It's not some abnormal mutation, as in science fiction it's often assumed to be; I believe all human beings have the potential for it, though of course there will always be degrees of talent, just as there are in the case other talents such as art and music. I also believe that for widespread development of psi in a society, it would have to be encouraged from birth onward and children would have to interact continuously with adults who used it. To start with, however, I think a small group composed largely of psi-gifted individuals could make a start, especially if they had the ability to control states of consciousness in general. In my novel, they have strong motives (and innovative methods) for acquiring that ability, and since many of them are indeed psi-gifted, the use of it naturally follows.

To be sure, I have given my characters somewhat more advanced psi gifts than are known to exist at present. This is intended to be taken more as symbolism than as literal prophecy. Since the story is set in the far future, it's reasonable to suppose that advances will have been made -- perhaps not the specific ones I've imagined, but surely manifestations of the power of the human mind. At any rate, my assumption that they will serves to counter the common notion that humans will be surpassed by artificial intelligence, something I personally don't think is ever going to happen.