Psychokinesis
Psychokinesis, a form of psi, meaning that apparently it is a technique of mind
over matter through invisible means. Examples of PK are movements of objects,
bending of metals, and determining the outcome of events. It can occur
spontaneously and deliberately which indicates it is both an unconscious and
conscious process.
History:
The term psychokinesis is derived from the Greek words psyche meaning "breath,"
"life," or "soul," and kinein meaning "to move." The occurrences of PK have been
recorded since ancient times. The occurrences include levitation, miraculous
healings, luminosities, apports, and other physical phenomena attributed to holy
persons and adepts of magic around the world. Such phenomena is recorded in the
Bible, especially in the New Testament, in the Book of Acts. One example is
cited in which St. Paul and Silas where imprisoned in Ephesus where they prayed
and sung hymns, and at midnight their shackles fell off as the prison doors
swung opened (Acts 16:19-40).
It is thought that possibly magic spells, curses, and rituals to control the
weather may involve PK. The use of the evil eye has been placed within this
classification.
Manifestations of PK have occurred in spiritualism such as alleged
materializations and dematerializations, apports, levitations, table-tipping,
raps, and the appearances of ectoplasm and pseudopods. One 19th century D. D.
Holmes was known for his ability to levitate and to handle hot coals without
being burned. But, also during this time, there were individuals known as
"electric people" who experienced a"high-voltage syndrome". They made knives and
forks cling to their skin, and with a touch could send furniture flyi...
... middle of paper ...
...rmine the
existence of retroactive PK, or "retro-PK" where subjects try to influence an
event such as a sequence of numbers as produced by a random event generator. The
subjects try after the event has happened. However, it is impossible to rule out
the possibility of the PK effect being unconsciously exerted by the subject or
the experimenter on the generator during the number selection.
Although PK is not generally acknowledged by scientists, many parapsychologists
believe that well-controlled experiments have established its existence. Thus
far laboratory tests have not established this exclusively. Results on the whole
have been insignificant. But, the greater potential, many believe, that PK
testing will open up wider capacities for mental ability. A.G.H.
Bibliography:
Sources: 29, Gertrude Schmeidler, The City College, New York, 61.
In the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, the reader is introduced to a utopian community who practice the tradition of a lottery every year. At first glance, it seems like a nice day and the kids are just collecting rocks while waiting for their parents to arrive. All of the citizens show some excitement over the upcoming the lottery. The text states,
“The Lottery” is a short story about an event that takes place every year in a small village of New England. When the author speaks of “the lottery” he is referencing the lottery of death; this is when the stoning of a village member must give up his or her life. The villagers gather at a designated area and perform a customary ritual which has been practiced for many years. The Lottery is a short story about a tradition that the villagers are fully loyal to and represents a behavior or idea that has been passed down from generation to generation, accepting and following a rule no matter how cruel or illogical it is. Friends and family become insignificant the moment it is time to stone the unlucky victim.
Sigmund Freud is considered to be one of the most studied and respected historical figures in psychology. Freud has had a huge impact on the way we think today. He also is responsible for creation psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud is even known as the “father of psychoanalysis”. Through endless contentious theories such as, the Case of Anna O, the Unconscious Mind, the Psyche, and the most infamous of his theories, the Psychosexual stage, Freud has generated many fans and supporters. His works has earned him a place in the list of psychology legends today.
Abnormal Psychology Abnormal psychology in the area within psychology that is focused on maladaptive behavior-its causes, consequences, and treatment. Abnormal psychology deals with how it feels to be different, the meanings the get attached to being different, and how society deals with people whom it considers to be different. The spectrum of differences is wide, ranging from reality defying delusions and severe debilitations to worries and behavioral quirks that we would be better off not having but do not significantly interfere with our daily lives. An example of the milder end of the spectrum is a man who was an eminently successful district attorney, was elected governor of New York on three occasions, and was almost elected president of the United States in 1948. This man, Thomas E. Dewy, reached the pinnacle of success, displaying such qualities as rectitude, efficiency, precision, and nearly limitless capacity for hard work.
The controversial topic of insanity manifests itself commonly in Romantic writing, and has been one much disputed over time. Some say that people who seem crazy are so above our own level of thought and understanding that we can’t possibly begin to identify with them and that we can find genius in the form of ordinary lunatics who connect to God and divinity in ways “normal” people don’t comprehend. Throughout works such as “The Cask of Amontillado and “The Castaway”, the authors question insanity with ideas that show the possible outcomes when one looks deep inside themselves for a divine spark or intuition. Both of these stories address madness in different forms, and madness itself is Godly experiences gone wrong; the person who receives the divine vision is unable to handle its raw truth.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder in which brain functioning is disrupted. People suffering from Schizophrenia are often unable to decipher what they are experiencing from reality. Although the person suffering from this particular illness could be highly educated and well spoken, their symptoms can make it near impossible to understand what is happening in the world around them. Some people suffer from intense audio and visual hallucinations, while others may experience slight delusions and are able to recognize the onset. Signs that usually indicate the onset of schizophrenia are not only audio and visual hallucinations, but also include delusions, thought disorder, and an inability to convey ideas and thoughts clearly to family and friends (Spearing, Melissa). The following is a look into the mindset and delusions of Susan K. Weiner, a woman who has suffered the affects of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a disease of the brain that is expressed clinically as a disease of the mind. Once it strikes, morbidity is high (60% of patients are receiving disability benefits within the first year of onset) as is mortality (the suicide rate is 10%). (www.nejm.org/content/1999/0340/008/0645.asp). Because its symptoms and signs and associated cognitive abnormalities are diverse, researchers have been unable to find localization in a single region of the brain. This essay will discuss the symptoms, treatments and causes of schizophrenia.
Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures which are unprovoked by any immediately identifiable cause (Hopkins & Shorvon, 1995). It is also known as a seizure disorder. A wide range of links and risk factors are associated with the condition, but most of the time the cause is unknown. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting approximately two and half million people in the US and about 50 million worldwide. Though seizures can occur at any age, epilepsy is most commonly seen in children and the elderly. Most respond well to treatment and can control their seizures, but for some it is a chronic illness. A clinical diagnosis is the first step to finding a potential cure for the disorder.
John Lennon once said, “Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives.” This quote is stating that people can become psychotic because they need to achieve their goal. In the two stories, And Then There Were None and Eye Candy, many characters went insane because their intentions had to be met. In this essay I will compare the two stories to prove my point that human nature is insane.
For the purpose of this assignment the experience of attending Electro-Convulsive Therapy will be discussed. It will include rationale for the procedure, an account of the procedure and the student nurses reflection on the experience using Gibbs’ model of reflection (Jasper 2003). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment for severe mental illness in which a small, carefully controlled amount of electricity is introduced into the brain. This electrical stimulation, used in conjunction with anaesthesia and muscle relaxant medications, produces a mild generalised seizure or convulsion (Mankad et al 2010).
Although Science and Pseudoscience are evidently two completely different topics, what is considered to be classified as a Science or Pseudoscience is a controversy topic that’s still being debated today. While science builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the world through the scientific method, pseudoscience is a claim, belief or practice which is presented as science, but lacks support of evidence and cannot be reliably tested. Hypnosis is one topic several psychologists and those in the field of science are seemingly still debating today, in result to its several different uses. Although hypnosis is shown to work when dealing with certain phenomena’s like stress, there are several uses it is considered to be very ineffective and simply not a science.
Physicalism is the position that nothing can exceed past what is physically present, and what is physical is all that there can be. This idea is reductive in that it suggests there is no more to the universe than physical matters, including brain processes, sensations, and human consciousness. J.J.C. Smart explains sensations as a means of commentary on a brain process. He believes that, essentially, brain processes and what we report as sensations are essentially the same thing in that one is an account of the other. He writes in “Sensations and Brain Processes” that “…in so far as a sensation statement is a report of something, that something is in fact a brain process. Sensations are nothing over and above brain processes,” (145). Though
The idea of consciousness has been contemplated throughout the course of neurobiology and behavior. When does it begin or end? And what, precisely, is consciousness? Though researchers may only approximate the answers to these questions, a few things may be inferred. Since the subconscious mind is the sleeping mind, the conscious mind can be thought of as the awakened mind, the mind which shows itself to others most often. (1) This is not to say that the conscious mind is reality, because (as will later be explained) reality is quite subjective. (1) It is just that the conscious mind is the one most people associate with reality. For example, people who experience an event while dreaming will refer to it as a dream, because it occurred in their subconscious. Whereas, if the event had occurred while they were awake-in their conscious mind-frame, then it would be considered as an actual experience.
Schizophrenia One of the major concerns of modern medicine is Schizophrenia. Frey defines schizophrenia as a group of disorders marked by severely impaired thinking, emotions, and behaviors (99). Straube and Oades incorporate more on its definition by saying this illness evokes a fundamental disturbance of personality (92). According to Gottesman, schizophrenia didn’t exist before the 19th century.
Schizophrenia still remains today and makes more challenges and continues to be complex mental illness. There had been sayings that Schizophrenia is an uncommon condition but in reality, it’s not rare at all. In actuality, everyone has a chance of having Schizophrenia in their life. Schizophrenia a brain disorder that can occur to any person in any background, happening to not only in men but also in women evenly and all areas of roles, like thinking, feeling, sensitivity and performance. This disorder is an extensive mental health complication that can affect all different kinds of people.