Precognition

1
Precognition

• Lecture 8
• Parapsychology
• Paul Staples

2
Overview

• What is precognition?
• Occurrence of precognition
• Characteristics of precognitive experiences
• Historical background
• Philosophical issues
• Scientific evidence for precognition
• Summary

3
Learning Objectives

• By the end of this session you should
• Be able to define precognition
• Be aware of the prevalence characteristics of
  precognitive experiences
• Be aware of the historical background
  philosophical issues relevant to precognition
• Be aware of the scientific evidence for
  precognition

4
What is Precognition?

• Precognition is a form of ESP
• Clairvoyance concerning future events
• Precognition - knowledge of a future event which
  cannot be inferred through known sensory means
• Presentiment information about future events as
  emotions or feelings

5
Occurrence of Precognition

• Precognition is the most frequently reported form
  of ESP
• ¼ British people reported experience and 2/3
  accepted existence of premonitions
• Occurs most often in dreams (60-70)
• Also occurs as hallucinations, flashing thoughts
  a sense of knowing
• May be induced by divination

6
Characteristics of Precognitive Experiences

• Majority occur within 48 hours prior to the
  future event, most often within 24 hours
• Most concern unhappy events (e.g. death)
• Rarely observe own death
• 80-85 involve a spouse, relative, friend
• Remainder involve strangers e.g. plane crash,
  natural disaster

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Examples of Precognitive Experiences

• Aberfan disaster 1966, Eryl Mai Jones, dream the
  night before
• Chemical explosion Grimsby 1974, newsflash five
  hours before
• Abraham Lincoln dreamt about his funeral days
  before
• General Grants wife experienced presentiment
  hours before

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Examples of Precognitive Experiences

• There are numerous examples of precognition in
  fiction
• Minority Report
• Jedi Knights in Star Wars
• Spidermans spidersense
• Jean Grey in x-men

9
Historical Background

• Reliance upon precognition back to ancient times
• Gift of prophecy in religion
• Déjà vu (Boirac)
• Future memory (Atwater, 1996)

10
Philosophical Issues

• Suggests perceptual processes not recognised in
  science
• Contradicts principle of causation
• Explanations for precognition
• Time is not linear
• Normal (coincidence, self-fulfilling prophecy)
• Supernormal (ESP, PK effects in the present)
• Genuine precognition

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Scientific Testing

• Dunne (1927) Theory of Serial Time
• J.B. Louisa Rhine (1930s)
• Cox (1956) unconscious precognition
• Klintman (1980s) Stroop - time reversed
  interference
• Honorton Ferrari (1989) meta-analysis
• Radin (1997) biophysical anticipation of emotion

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Characteristics of Successful Experiments

• Rattet Bursik (2001) extroverts intuitive
  more likely to experience precognition, but not
  paranormal belief
• Sheep score higher on average than goats
• Honorton Ferrari (1989)
• Preselected participants
• Trial by trial feedback

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Summary

• Precognition is most common form of ESP.
• Mostly occurs in dreams.
• Mostly occur 48 hours before event.
• Dates back to ancient times.
• Contradicts principle of causality.
• Research supports existence of precognition

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Further Reading

• Henry, J. (2005). Parapsychology Research on
  exceptional experiences. UK Routledge. (Chapter
  8 Precognition and premonitions, Hearne
  Henry).
• Irwin, , H.J. (2004). An introduction to
  parapsychology. Fourth Edition. USA McFarland.
  (Chapter 5 Extrasensory perception and time).
• Radin, D. (1997). The Conscious Universe,
  LondonHarper Collins. (Chapter 7 Perception
  through time).

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Further Reading

• Roberts, R. Groome, D. (2001). Parapsychology
  The Psychology of Unusual Experience . UK Hodder
  Arnold. (Chapters 7 10 Dreams Paranormal
  Cognition).
• Wikipedia (2005). Precognition.
  http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precognition
• Themystica.com (2005). Precognition.
  http//www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/p/preco
  gnition.html

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Further Reading (Advanced)

• Radin, D. (1999). Evidence for an anomalous
  anticipatory effect in the autonomic nervous
  system (PDF), Boundary Institute.
• Radin, D. May, E. (1999). Evidence for a
  retrocausal effect in the human nervous system
  (PDF), Boundary Institute.
• Radin, D. (2000). Time-reversed human experience
  Experimental evidence and implications (PDF),
  Boundary Institute.
• All available from
• http//www.boundaryinstitute.org/articles

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Further Reading (Advanced)

• Rattet, S. L. Bursik, K. (2001). Investigating
  the Personality Correlates of Paranormal Belief
  and Precognitive Experience. Personality and
  Individual Differences, 31, 433-444.
• Atwater, PMH. (1999). Future Memory, UKHampton
  Roads.