[thedoc (OP)]

Hi, listening to your Valentine's Day podcast got me thinking about mental telepathy.
When my wife and I started going together in 1971, we seemed to sense when one of us would phone or have an idea e.g. what to eat, etc.

Now 45 years later and that still persists. I will be doing something and think "Pat hasn't phoned" then within a few minutes she will call. Is this telepathy at work?

Asked by Alan McNamara


                                        Visit the webpage for the podcast in which this question is answered.

[chapter podcast=1001362 track=16.05.17/Naked_Scientists_Show_16.05.17_1005173.mp3]  ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3]

[flr]

Isn't the absence of telepathy that which make possible multiple disconnected minds, multiple selves (or multiple individualities)?

[chris]

Hi Alan

There is no consistent, reliable scientific evidence for telepathy. However, that's not to say that there cannot be some kind of connection between people in other ways. Specifically, bear in mind that we are all human. We all have brains that work in the same way and have the same structure. Broadly speaking, we all tend to have similar likes and dislikes, fears and joys. And if we choose to marry someone it's likely that we'll be selecting someone very compatible with our own way of thinking, who has similar preferences. And as we live with that person the behaviour of each person adjusts and adapts to fit better with the other. When viewed in this way it is hardly surprising that "birds of a feather flock together" and we find ourselves thinking along similar lines. But most importantly, it's crucial not to fall into the significance-by-coincide trap and attach importance to a random event. Always ask yourself how many times you were thinking about your wife and she didn't call before invoking telepathy to explain the one time she did...

[alancalverd]

Of course it is all coincidence and parallel thought trains, but regardless of where I have been during the day or even a week, how long the job took, flight delays, weather conditions or traffic jams, The Boss always phones when I am 3 miles away to ask what time I'll be home. Why 3 miles? Because I can pick up fish'n'chips en route.

And why does the phone always ring when I have just got to the head of a queue?

[smart]

Research on the social neuroscience of empathy and mind reading (telepathy) is controversial. I believe empathy is a form of telepathy which allows us to feel shared emotions in a group. Furthermore, the discovery of "mirror neurons" in humans may be implicated in this shared neural activation and response.

[Bored chemist]

... I believe empathy is a form of telepathy which allows us to feel shared emotions in a group. ...

You believe that the CIA went back in time to produce chemtrails for John Constable to paint.
People may not consider you a reliable source of information.;

[smart]

You believe that the CIA went back in time to produce chemtrails for John Constable to paint.
People may not consider you a reliable source of information.;

Hijacking a thread is not really a compelling method to support your claims.
Please stop trolling.

[Bored chemist]

You believe that the CIA went back in time to produce chemtrails for John Constable to paint.
People may not consider you a reliable source of information.;

Hijacking a thread is not really a compelling method to support your claims.
Please stop trolling.

Dear Pot,
Thanks for your comments
Sincerely
Kettle.

Pointing out your "qualifications" is, perhaps, not polite. But it isn't hijacking.
Also, I didn't make any claim.

[chris]

Somehow I managed to answer this question before it was actually asked... I must be telepathic...

Hi Alan

There is no consistent, reliable scientific evidence for telepathy. However, that's not to say that there cannot be some kind of connection between people in other ways. Specifically, bear in mind that we are all human. We all have brains that work in the same way and have the same structure. Broadly speaking, we all tend to have similar likes and dislikes, fears and joys. And if we choose to marry someone it's likely that we'll be selecting someone very compatible with our own way of thinking, who has similar preferences. And as we live with that person the behaviour of each person adjusts and adapts to fit better with the other. When viewed in this way it is hardly surprising that "birds of a feather flock together" and we find ourselves thinking along similar lines. But most importantly, it's crucial not to fall into the significance-by-coincide trap and attach importance to a random event. Always ask yourself how many times you were thinking about your wife and she didn't call before invoking telepathy to explain the one time she did...

[jeffreyH]

You are thinking of eating! And two birds in a tree.

[smart]

The social neuroscience of our psychocollective consciousness is evidence that mind reading is a actual non-physical connection in a group of persons.

[Bored chemist]

The social neuroscience of our psychocollective consciousness is evidence that mind reading is a actual non-physical connection in a group of persons.

Interestingly, if you use Google translate to turn that into Arabic, then turn the Arabic into Chinese then turn the Chinese back into English you get this
"
Neuroscience and psychosocial psychological consciousness is that we prove that the mind is the actual physical connection is not a group of people in Sichuan."
Which still doesn't mean anything

[Tim the Plumber]

Somewhat to my surprise and something of a disapointment, me being an ardent ATHEIST (yes all in capitals), I have experienced some sort of telepathy on a few occaisions and something like teleconesis, however you spell it.

The most striking of these was in a bar when the party trick of having 5 glasses on a table and one man turns around while another puts their hand over the glass. The 1st guy then turns around and can tell by the slight increase in warmth which glass it was.

This was pushed untill the glasses were 5 glasses on 2 tables at opposite ends of the bar and I would point to one of the glasses and the man with his back to me would identify top left, center or whatever. Seemed about 99% accurate. Very odd. I have no explaination at all.

[jeffreyH]

Heard about the dyslexic atheist? He didn't believe in dog.

[smart]

Interestingly, if you use Google translate to turn that into Arabic, then turn the Arabic into Chinese then turn the Chinese back into English you get this

Google is as intelligent as its programmers. Human intelligence is potentially much smarter. But you still must use your brain to appreciate higher intelligence art forms...  Mind reading is all about sensing shared neural responses collectively. Machines are still not capable of expressing empathy into a action potential.

[Bored chemist]

Somewhat to my surprise and something of a disapointment, me being an ardent ATHEIST (yes all in capitals), I have experienced some sort of telepathy on a few occaisions and something like teleconesis, however you spell it.

The most striking of these was in a bar when the party trick of having 5 glasses on a table and one man turns around while another puts their hand over the glass. The 1st guy then turns around and can tell by the slight increase in warmth which glass it was.

This was pushed untill the glasses were 5 glasses on 2 tables at opposite ends of the bar and I would point to one of the glasses and the man with his back to me would identify top left, center or whatever. Seemed about 99% accurate. Very odd. I have no explaination at all.

I remember  freaking out the people in a bar by taking a shuffled deck of cards (face down) dealing my way through them and sorting them into 2 piles (still face down) then turning the piles over to show that one pile had the "face" cards and the other had all the numbers.
Nobody could work out how I could tell which cards were which by looking at the backs of them.

Well, they couldn't until I pointed out that the bar top was polished copper.

Did your bar have a mirror?
Many do- they say it's to add a sense of space.
It's actually so the staff can keep an eye on the punters.
It's a much more likely explanation than telepathy.
(Other likely tricks include having an acomplice)

[Bored chemist]

Interestingly, if you use Google translate to turn that into Arabic, then turn the Arabic into Chinese then turn the Chinese back into English you get this

Google is as intelligent as its programmers. Human intelligence is potentially much smarter. But you still must use your brain to appreciate higher intelligence art forms...  Mind reading is all about sensing shared neural responses collectively. Machines are still not capable of expressing empathy into a action potential.

So, not only are people devoid of telepathy- but computers are too.
No  great shock there.

[smart]

Mind reading is evidence of the non-physical mind and matter connection. The ability to read minds (brain waves coherence) using EEG and neuroimaging devices is nothing new. Current implementations of artificial telepathy neurodevices may assist users in establishing brain-to-brain connectivity and synchronization of action potential
waveforms.
 

[the5thforce]

Tele(o)logic energy

[smart]

Tele(o)logic energy

Is teleology a principle of your religion?