Pyrokinesis is the purported psychic ability allowing a person to create and control fire with the mind.[1][2][3] As with other parapsychological phenomena, there is no conclusive evidence in support of the actual existence of pyrokinesis. Many alleged cases are hoaxes, the result of trickery.[4][5]
The word pyrokinesis (Greek language: pyr=fire, kinesis=movement) was popularized by horror novelist Stephen King in his 1980 novel Firestarter to describe the ability to create and control fire with the mind, though its use predates the novel.[1][6][7] The word is intended to be parallel to telekinesis, with S. T. Joshi describing it as a "singularly unfortunate coinage" and noting that the correct analogy to telekinesis would "not be 'pyrokinesis' but 'telepyrosis' (fire from a distance)".[8]
Historyedit
A. W. Underwood, a 19th-century African-American, achieved minor celebrity status with the purported ability to set items ablaze. Magicians and scientists have suggested concealed pieces of phosphorus may have instead been responsible. The phosphorus could be readily ignited by breath or rubbing. Skeptical investigator Joe Nickell has written that Underwood may have used a "chemical-combustion technique, and still other means. Whatever the exact method — and the phosphorus trick might be the most likely — the possibilities of deception far outweigh any occult powers hinted at by Charles Fort or others."[5]
The medium Daniel Dunglas Home was known for performing fire feats and handling a heated lump of coal taken from a fire. The magician Henry R. Evans wrote that the coal handling was a juggling trick, performed by Home using a hidden piece of platinum.[9]Hereward Carrington described Evans hypothesis as "certainly ingenious" but pointed out William Crookes, an experienced chemist, was present at a séance whilst Home performed the feat and would have known how to distinguish the difference between coal and platinum.[10]Frank Podmore wrote that most of the fire feats could have easily been performed by conjuring tricks and sleight of hand but hallucination and sense-deception may have explained Crookes' claim about observing flames from Home's fingers.[11]
Joseph McCabe has written that Home's alleged feats of pyrokinesis were weak and unsatisfactory, he noted that they were performed in dark conditions amongst unreliable witnesses. McCabe suggested the coal handling was probably a "piece of asbestos from Home's pocket".[12]
Sometimes claims of pyrokinesis are published in the context of fire ghosts, such as Canneto di Caronia fires and the 1982 Italian case of a young Scottish nanny, Carole Compton.[13]
In March 2011, a three-year-old girl in Antique, a Philippines province with important mysticism and folklore, gained local media attention for the supposed supernatural power to predict or create fires. The town mayor said he witnessed a pillow ignite after the girl said "fire... pillow." Others claimed to have witnessed the girl either predicting or causing fire without any physical contact with the objects.[14][15] A pastor claimed to have exorcised the girl and police failed to find anything abnormal although a paranormal proponent claimed that she must have inherited those powers from a previous life.[16] The story of the alleged "fire starter" was featured on the June 22, 2020 Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho show. Since several objects around the house were ignited, local residents flocked to the girl's house to learn of the circumstances and emergency services visited the house to investigate.[17]
There is no scientifically known method for the brain to trigger explosions or fires.[2]
^ abJoyce, Judith (2011). The Weiser Field Guide to the Paranormal. San Francisco, California: Weiser Books. p. 159. ISBN978-1609252984.
^ abGresh, Lois H.; Weinberg, Robert (2007). The Science of Stephen King: From Carrie to Cell, The Terrifying Truth Behind the Horror Masters Fiction. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley & Sons. pp. 38–39. ISBN9780471782476. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^Westfahl, Gary; Gaiman, Neil (2005). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy (1st ed.). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 637. ISBN9780313329524. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
^Stein, Gordon; Gardner, Martin (1993). Encyclopedia of Hoaxes. Detroit: Gale Research. pp. 161–164. ISBN0810384140.
^ abNickell, Joe (2004). Mystery Chronicles: More Real-Life X-Files. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. pp. 56–60. ISBN9780813123189.
^McCrossan, John A. (2000). Books and Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans: A Biographical Sourcebook. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 144. ISBN0313303762.
^Lee, Walt (1972). Reference Guide to Fantastic Films: Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror. Volume 2. Los Angeles: Chelsea-Lee Books. p. 193. ISBN0913974048. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
^Joshi, S. T. (2001). The Modern Weird Tale. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 75. ISBN9780786409860. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
^Evans, Henry R. (1897). Hours With the Ghosts Or Nineteenth Century Witchcraft. Laird & Lee. pp. 106-107. The "coal" is a piece of spongy platinum which bears a close resemblance to a lump of half burnt coal, and is palmed in the hand, as a prestidigitateur conceals a coin, a pack of cards, an egg, or a small lemon. The medium or magician advances to the grate and pretends to take a genuine lump of coal from the fire but brings up instead at the tops of his fingers, the piece of platinum.
^Carrington, Hereward (1907). The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism. Herbet B. Turner & Co. p. 404.
^Podmore, Frank (1910). "Levitation and the Fire Ordeal". The Newer Spiritualism. Henry Holt and Company. pp. 55–86.
^McCabe, Joseph (1920). Is Spiritualism Based on Fraud? the Evidence Given by Sir A. C. Doyle and Others Drastically Examined. London Watts & Co. pp. 78–80.
^. Newsinfo.inquirer.net. 2011-03-09. Archived from the original on 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
^Felongco, Gilbert P (March 5, 2011). "Three-year-old alleged firestarter sparks amazement in Philippines". Gulf News.
^Vince (March 24, 2011). "Fire Starter or Pyrokinesis: 3-Year old Child from Iloilo City Make Fire by Imagination". Philippine News.
^"Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho: Bata mula Antique na hinihinalang firestarter, kumusta na ngayon?". GMA News and Public Affairs. YouTube. June 21, 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
John G. Taylor. (1980). Science and the Supernatural: An Investigation of Paranormal Phenomena Including Psychic Healing, Clairvoyance, Telepathy, and Precognition by a Distinguished Physicist and Mathematician. Temple Smith. ISBN0-85117-191-5
October 28, 2023
pyrokinesis, purported, psychic, ability, allowing, person, create, control, fire, with, mind, with, other, parapsychological, phenomena, there, conclusive, evidence, support, actual, existence, pyrokinesis, many, alleged, cases, hoaxes, result, trickery, medi. Pyrokinesis is the purported psychic ability allowing a person to create and control fire with the mind 1 2 3 As with other parapsychological phenomena there is no conclusive evidence in support of the actual existence of pyrokinesis Many alleged cases are hoaxes the result of trickery 4 5 The medium Daniel Dunglas Home was an alleged practitioner of pyrokinesis Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingEtymology editThe word pyrokinesis Greek language pyr fire kinesis movement was popularized by horror novelist Stephen King in his 1980 novel Firestarter to describe the ability to create and control fire with the mind though its use predates the novel 1 6 7 The word is intended to be parallel to telekinesis with S T Joshi describing it as a singularly unfortunate coinage and noting that the correct analogy to telekinesis would not be pyrokinesis but telepyrosis fire from a distance 8 History editA W Underwood a 19th century African American achieved minor celebrity status with the purported ability to set items ablaze Magicians and scientists have suggested concealed pieces of phosphorus may have instead been responsible The phosphorus could be readily ignited by breath or rubbing Skeptical investigator Joe Nickell has written that Underwood may have used a chemical combustion technique and still other means Whatever the exact method and the phosphorus trick might be the most likely the possibilities of deception far outweigh any occult powers hinted at by Charles Fort or others 5 The medium Daniel Dunglas Home was known for performing fire feats and handling a heated lump of coal taken from a fire The magician Henry R Evans wrote that the coal handling was a juggling trick performed by Home using a hidden piece of platinum 9 Hereward Carrington described Evans hypothesis as certainly ingenious but pointed out William Crookes an experienced chemist was present at a seance whilst Home performed the feat and would have known how to distinguish the difference between coal and platinum 10 Frank Podmore wrote that most of the fire feats could have easily been performed by conjuring tricks and sleight of hand but hallucination and sense deception may have explained Crookes claim about observing flames from Home s fingers 11 Joseph McCabe has written that Home s alleged feats of pyrokinesis were weak and unsatisfactory he noted that they were performed in dark conditions amongst unreliable witnesses McCabe suggested the coal handling was probably a piece of asbestos from Home s pocket 12 Sometimes claims of pyrokinesis are published in the context of fire ghosts such as Canneto di Caronia fires and the 1982 Italian case of a young Scottish nanny Carole Compton 13 In March 2011 a three year old girl in Antique a Philippines province with important mysticism and folklore gained local media attention for the supposed supernatural power to predict or create fires The town mayor said he witnessed a pillow ignite after the girl said fire pillow Others claimed to have witnessed the girl either predicting or causing fire without any physical contact with the objects 14 15 A pastor claimed to have exorcised the girl and police failed to find anything abnormal although a paranormal proponent claimed that she must have inherited those powers from a previous life 16 The story of the alleged fire starter was featured on the June 22 2020 Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho show Since several objects around the house were ignited local residents flocked to the girl s house to learn of the circumstances and emergency services visited the house to investigate 17 There is no scientifically known method for the brain to trigger explosions or fires 2 See also editFire classical element Firewalking Fire breathing Spontaneous human combustionReferences edit a b Joyce Judith 2011 The Weiser Field Guide to the Paranormal San Francisco California Weiser Books p 159 ISBN 978 1609252984 a b Gresh Lois H Weinberg Robert 2007 The Science of Stephen King From Carrie to Cell The Terrifying Truth Behind the Horror Masters Fiction Hoboken New Jersey Wiley amp Sons pp 38 39 ISBN 9780471782476 Retrieved 5 September 2014 Westfahl Gary Gaiman Neil 2005 The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy 1st ed Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press p 637 ISBN 9780313329524 Retrieved 6 June 2015 Stein Gordon Gardner Martin 1993 Encyclopedia of Hoaxes Detroit Gale Research pp 161 164 ISBN 0810384140 a b Nickell Joe 2004 Mystery Chronicles More Real Life X Files Lexington Kentucky University Press of Kentucky pp 56 60 ISBN 9780813123189 McCrossan John A 2000 Books and Reading in the Lives of Notable Americans A Biographical Sourcebook Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press p 144 ISBN 0313303762 Lee Walt 1972 Reference Guide to Fantastic Films Science Fiction Fantasy amp Horror Volume 2 Los Angeles Chelsea Lee Books p 193 ISBN 0913974048 Archived from the original on 21 October 2020 Retrieved 20 April 2021 Joshi S T 2001 The Modern Weird Tale Jefferson North Carolina McFarland p 75 ISBN 9780786409860 Retrieved 6 September 2014 Evans Henry R 1897 Hours With the Ghosts Or Nineteenth Century Witchcraft Laird amp Lee pp 106 107 The coal is a piece of spongy platinum which bears a close resemblance to a lump of half burnt coal and is palmed in the hand as a prestidigitateur conceals a coin a pack of cards an egg or a small lemon The medium or magician advances to the grate and pretends to take a genuine lump of coal from the fire but brings up instead at the tops of his fingers the piece of platinum Carrington Hereward 1907 The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism Herbet B Turner amp Co p 404 Podmore Frank 1910 Levitation and the Fire Ordeal The Newer Spiritualism Henry Holt and Company pp 55 86 McCabe Joseph 1920 Is Spiritualism Based on Fraud the Evidence Given by Sir A C Doyle and Others Drastically Examined London Watts amp Co pp 78 80 Sicilian fires recall nanny s witch ordeal The Scotsman 2004 02 12 Retrieved 2015 03 05 Fire seer draws hundreds to Antique village Newsinfo inquirer net 2011 03 09 Archived from the original on 2013 12 04 Retrieved 2013 11 07 Felongco Gilbert P March 5 2011 Three year old alleged firestarter sparks amazement in Philippines Gulf News Vince March 24 2011 Fire Starter or Pyrokinesis 3 Year old Child from Iloilo City Make Fire by Imagination Philippine News Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho Bata mula Antique na hinihinalang firestarter kumusta na ngayon GMA News and Public Affairs YouTube June 21 2020 Archived from the original on 2021 12 11 Retrieved October 1 2020 Further reading editGordon Stein 1993 Encyclopedia of Hoaxes Gale Research ISBN 0 8103 8414 0 John G Taylor 1980 Science and the Supernatural An Investigation of Paranormal Phenomena Including Psychic Healing Clairvoyance Telepathy and Precognition by a Distinguished Physicist and Mathematician Temple Smith ISBN 0 85117 191 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pyrokinesis amp oldid 1174101892, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
