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Psychokinesis (literally "mind-movement") or PK, also known as telekinesis (literally "distant-movement"), or TK, is defined according to the Online Medical Dictionary , published by the Department of Oncology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, as the following (used with permission): "the influence of mind upon matter, as the use of mental 'power' to move or distort an object." Psychokinesis may also be described by other names, such as remote influencing, distant influencing, distant mental influence, or directed conscious intention.
Origin
The term telekinesis was coined in 1890 by British psychical researcher Frederic William Henry Myers (1843-1901), who was one of the founders of the Society for Psychical Research, located in England. Myers also coined the term telepathyibid.The term psychokinesis was coined in 1914 by American author-publisher Henry Holt and adopted by his friend, American parapsychologist J. B. Rhine.
Notable claimants of psychokinesis or telekinesis
Uri Geller
- Uri Geller, the Israeli famous for his spoon-bending demonstrations
Nina Kulagina
- Nina Kulagina, alleged Soviet psychic of the Cold War era
Cultural references
- H. G. Wells' 1911 story, The Man Who Could Work Miracles, and the 1936 movie of the same title based on it, portrays a character with psychokinetic powers (although the word is not used). Arguing in a bar, the character tries to make a hypothetical point by saying "to that lamp, as I might do, collecting all my will, 'Turn upsy-down without breaking, and go on burning steady, and--Hullo!'" Wells writes, "The impossible, the incredible, was visible to them all. The lamp hung inverted in the air, burning quietly with its flame pointing down." The protagonist goes on to make increasingly dramatic demonstrations of his power, ultimately stopping the earth's rotation.
- In "The Public Hating," a 1955 story by Steve Allen, a political prisoner is executed by inciting a stadium crowd to focus their hatred on him. The word "psychokinesis" is not used, but a character explains that "it was that guy at Duke University first came up with the idea. ...he was the first one to prove scientifically that mind can control matter." (J. B. Rhine was a professor at Duke University)., pp. 304-311. Credited as "©1955 by Steve Allen. Reprinted from Fourteen For Tonight (Holt, 1955)"
- in the 1976 film Carrie, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Sissy Spacek portrays a troubled high school student with telekinetic powers.
Quotes
- "Everyone who believes in telekinesis, raise my hand."
This is often incorrectly attributed to James Randi, but he has stated that he did not originate the phrase. He did use it in the closing line of Swift, 15 March 2002. The phrase "How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise MY hands." was used by Rob Fargher in a 1994 newsgroup posting http://www.skepticfiles.org/evolut/theoryon.htm, but the origin is unknown.
See also
(the following related entries are listed alphabetically)
- Anomalous operation
- Banachek
- Lyn Buchanan
- Global Consciousness Project
- Jon Ronson
- -kinesis
- Magnetoencephalography
- Wolf Messing
- Nensha
- Neural oscillations
- Parapsychology
- Precognition
- Pseudoscience
- Pyrokinesis
- James Randi
- Tina Resch
- Silva Method
- Spoon bending
- Teleportation
- Tai al-Ardh
- Telepathy
References
Further reading
- Randi, James, Flim-Flam, Prometheus Books, 1982, ISBN 0-89775-198-3
External links
- Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) center
- The Skeptic's Dictionary A skeptical commentary article on psychokinesis (PK).
- Hollywood Telekinesis and Psychokinesis Movie List Compiled by author James A. Conrad, Filmmaker's Dictionary.
Psychokinesis | Pseudoscience | Paranormal phenomena
Телекинеза | Telekinese | Telekinees | Telequinesis | Psychokinèse | Psicocinesi | טלקינזיס | Telekinese | 念力 | Psychokineza | Telecinésia | Телекинез | Psychokinéza | Telekinesi
"Psychokinesis"