Precognition

Precognition is the purported knowledge of future events that cannot be obtained through ordinary senses, reasoning, or current information. It is typically grouped with extrasensory perception (ESP) and is distinguished by its focus on events that have not yet occurred. The term combines Latin prae-, before, with cognitio, knowledge.

Historically, accounts of foresight appear in many cultures and periods. In modern Western discourse, precognition has been studied within parapsychology, alongside other claimed psychic abilities. Researchers have conducted a range of experiments intended to test whether people can acquire information about future events.

Scientific status: The mainstream scientific consensus is that precognition is not a proven or reliable phenomenon. A large body of experimental research on ESP, including precognition, has failed to produce replicable evidence beyond chance under rigorous controls. Critics point to methodological flaws, publication bias, and confounding factors that can produce apparent effects. Meta-analyses of ESP experiments generally find effects that are small, inconsistent, or not robust when methodological quality is high.

Notable claims and debate: Some researchers, notably in the 2010s, have reported statistically significant results in unlikely settings or with novel designs suggesting possible precognitive-like effects, but these findings have been contested and often not replicated. Overall, precognition remains controversial and unaccepted as established science.

In culture, precognition appears frequently in science fiction, folklore, and media as a narrative device, reflecting enduring interest in foreknowledge and the limits of human perception. See also: parapsychology, extrasensory perception, clairvoyance.