Psionics involve the use of the mind to alter or command reality, typically through some understanding of a deeper truth about the universe or command over a fundamental law of reality.

It’s pretty cool, but I have trouble thinking of media where it takes a prominent role. The few examples that come to mind are:

Star Wars - The Force Mass Effect - Biotics/Element Zero technology Stellaris - Spiritualist Ethos Warhammer 40k - Psykers/Orks

What are some other examples of psionics in Sci-Fi?

  • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    21
    ·
    edit-2
    2 days ago

    Lots of psychics in Star Trek. Vulcans, Betazoids, and Ocampa for instance.

    I feel like there are some in The Culture series but its been a minute since I read them and I only got a few books in.

    Dune has a lot of kinda-psychics. Paul and pretty much all the Atreides after him would count i think.

    There are some in the Foundation series I believe

    Starship Troopers had Neal Patrick Harris read a bug’s mind

    Just about anything that’s not especially “hard” sci-fi tends to have psychics of one sort or another. I dont remember any psychics in The Expanse or BattleTech but my knowledge of both is rather limited edit BattleTech no, The Expanse yes from a cursory search

    Also how was OP’s 40k xeno example orks and not Eldar ;D orks are way cooler and more fun i agree tho

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      10 hours ago

      ocampas seems to have the more advanced one, especially with thier telekinesis(advanced telekinesis), and her telepathy was used to battle another telepathic alien early in the series(Kes). the sleeping telepaths(likely extended range using technology) that invades peoples minds.

    • spittingimage@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      I feel like there are some in The Culture series

      The ship Grey Area uses technology to read flesh minds while investigating war crimes. The other Minds consider that an abuse of power and call it the ‘Meatfucker’ behind its back. I don’t recall any other (pseudo-) psychic phemonema.

      • deadcream@sopuli.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        23 hours ago

        There is one human character that has accurate “hunches” about the future in the first book. That’s dropped in the next books though.

      • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        2 days ago

        Thanks! Yeah the more i think about it the more i doubt reading about psychics, which i imagine had to be deliberate seeing as humans had developed absolutely insane levels of control over their bodies (sex changes, producing drugs, etc just by deciding to)