# How would you feel about someone developing full ESP psi powers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 23, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891 "2016-02-23T17:30:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/21 "2016-02-23T20:04:52Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > But how do we know he’s telling the truth? This is a key point. Just because someone says “I can read your mind” doesn’t prove that they can. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/22 "2016-02-23T20:05:07Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Maybe she had it and the NSA took her out and made it look natural. :smack:How did I not SEE that?? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/23 "2016-02-23T20:07:20Z")
> [@glee](#): > > This is a key point. > Just because someone says “I can read your mind” doesn’t prove that they can. Because the next thing they’ll tell you is, “I know you think I’m bullshitting, but it’s the truth.” And then you’ll be convinced. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/24 "2016-02-23T20:33:30Z")
> [@glee](#): > > This is a key point. > Just because someone says “I can read your mind” doesn’t prove that they can. Easy - demonstrate it to them. _“Last night you dreamed about climbing the rock cliff half a mile from your home. You were wearing a red helmet and your friend Danielle shouted your name. She had dyed her hair orange.”_ _ **IF** _ that’s true, they’ll be convinced on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/25 "2016-02-23T20:37:30Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > :smack:How did I not SEE that?? Of course you didn’t, you don’t have ESP. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/26 "2016-02-23T21:30:22Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Why should killing that person be any trickier than killing anybody else? As described, he _can_ read someone’s thoughts, memories, and emotions. That is quite a different thing than him knowing _everybody’s_ thoughts, memories, and emotions. The OP is not especially clear on the scope and directability of the thing. A person who could hear the thoughts of others based on, say, the strength of their intent, regardless of distance, would be pretty hard to kill. ---
**Author:** ![escaped](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@escaped](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/escaped)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/27 "2016-02-23T21:55:11Z")
I would want that poer in the wrong hands. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/28 "2016-02-23T22:02:18Z")
So should society seek to eliminate such a person? > [@John Dalberg-Acton](#): > > Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/29 "2016-02-23T22:06:03Z")
No, there should just be licensing and training restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/30 "2016-02-23T22:17:18Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > No, there should just be licensing and training restrictions. Kind of like a concealed carry permit? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/31 "2016-02-23T23:02:07Z")
Shouldn’t this be in Elections Forum? I mean, we’re talkin’ about Trump, aren’t we? He _says_ he knows everything! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/32 "2016-02-23T23:17:01Z")
Dammit…! I got here too late. I had my pitch-fork sharpened, my torch lit, and 50 feet of good rope for the noose. And now we’re moving this over to Elections. Aren’t we gonna lynch Anybody!? /s ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/33 "2016-02-24T09:11:31Z")
> [@glee](#): > > This is a key point. > Just because someone says “I can read your mind” doesn’t prove that they can. That wasn’t my point. I was saying that someone recognized as a mind reader could lie about the contents of their opponents’ minds and frame people. They would be believed due to previous successes. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/34 "2016-02-24T13:18:44Z")
The same way I’d feel about someone able to instantly teleport themselves by wiggling their nose. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/35 "2016-02-24T13:46:10Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > The OP is not especially clear on the scope and directability of the thing. A person who could hear the thoughts of others based on, say, the strength of their intent, regardless of distance, would be pretty hard to kill. At some point, he needs to sleep. And who can survive assassination attempts forever? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/36 "2016-02-24T13:47:11Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Killing them might be a bit tricky, but are you suggesting that they should be killed? _Will be_ and\* should be\* are different. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/37 "2016-02-24T14:00:58Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > The OP is not especially clear on the scope and directability of the thing. A person who could hear the thoughts of others based on, say, the strength of their intent, regardless of distance, would be pretty hard to kill. Ah…so you are saying his spider-sense will tingle? Spiderman suffers unexpected attack pretty regularly despite having this exact ability. ---
**Author:** ![Garula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/38 "2016-02-24T14:47:21Z")
It’s worth pointing out that even if such a person really can read other people’s minds, we mere mortals have no way to know this psychic is telling the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/39 "2016-02-24T15:36:51Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > The OP is not especially clear on the scope and directability of the thing. A person who could hear the thoughts of others based on, say, the strength of their intent, regardless of distance, would be pretty hard to kill. Unless he gets some sort of super-filtering, it doesn’t seem like it would be very useful. The sniper 5 blocks away is going to get drowned out by the guy next to him lusting after the ass of the woman in front of him, while she’s intent on giving that sales woman a piece of her mind, and all of the other strong intents surrounding him. If he doesn’t hang out in the city, then just send a bunch of guys - he might be able to read minds, but if a dozen armed men raid his country home, it’s not going to do him much good to know that they’re intending to kill him. Use of stooges would also work, say you put poison or a bomb inside of a nice present, then get a friend who doesn’t know the present is trapped to give it to him. Someone with influence could get the guy arrested, then arrange for a murder in prison where reading minds won’t help him get out. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891/40 "2016-02-24T16:01:43Z")
> [@Garula](#): > > It’s worth pointing out that even if such a person really can read other people’s minds, we mere mortals have no way to know this psychic is telling the truth. Isn’t this best discussed behind closed doors when Senator Cruz proposes the **[Mutant Registration Act (MRA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registration_acts_(comics)#Mutant_Registration_Act)**??? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-feel-about-someone-developing-full-esp-psi-powers/746891.md?page=1)