Reading Thoughts: Can You Tell What a Stranger Is Thinking?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the ability to read people's thoughts and how it is not a common skill. The speaker mentions being able to guess a friend's thoughts but not being able to read a stranger's mind. They also mention being able to sense certain traits in people, such as aggression, but not being able to hear their thoughts. The conversation concludes with one person asking if anyone can actually hear other people's thoughts, to which the other person responds that they cannot.
  • #1
wolram
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Can you tell in a general sort of way what some is thinking ? this would be
some what easier with a familly member or close friend, but what about a
stranger ?
 
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  • #2
Sometimes. I can look at a person and often tell at least a little about their history, or just their mood, but thinking is a different story.

Online, when holding an intimate conversation with a friend of mine, I can usually guess what he's going to say about something. But most of the time I'm a bit in the dark. And in person the best thing going for me is what I said above; I can't tell what they're thinking at all.
Life would be a bit dull, socially at least, if I knew what people were going to say.
 
  • #3
Usually I can tell who I really want to stay from by looking at their face. There is a particular type of person who is essential the most aggressive type of bully. I can see these people by the way the smile and the way their eyes look. It is difficult for me to describe criteria, but I have a correct sense when someone is a snake.
-scott
 
  • #4
You can see what mood they're in, what their attention is focused on (their thoughts, or something external), but not the precise content of their thoughts, of course. You can get more precise if you're actually conversing with them. Some people are very poker-faced and inscrutable, though.
 
  • #5
You guys can't hear other people's thoughts?
 
  • #6
Mk said:
You guys can't hear other people's thoughts?
I can't. I've never had any such experience.
 

1. Can you really read people's thoughts?

No, the ability to read someone's thoughts is not scientifically proven. While there are people who claim to have this ability, there is no solid evidence to support it. Thoughts are private and cannot be read or accessed by another person.

2. How does mind reading work?

Mind reading, or telepathy, is not a scientifically proven phenomenon. It is often viewed as a form of communication between two individuals without the use of spoken or written language. However, there is no scientific explanation for how this could be possible.

3. Can technology help in reading thoughts?

Currently, there is no technology that can accurately read someone's thoughts. Brain scanning technology, such as fMRI, can detect brain activity and patterns, but it cannot directly read thoughts. Any claims of technology being able to read thoughts are not supported by scientific evidence.

4. Are there any studies or experiments on mind reading?

There have been numerous studies and experiments conducted on telepathy, but none have provided reliable evidence for its existence. Many of these studies have been criticized for their methodology and lack of scientific rigor. Until there is substantial evidence, mind reading remains a pseudoscientific concept.

5. Is there any truth to the idea of "gut feelings" or intuition?

While there is no evidence for mind reading, there is some research that suggests that our intuition or "gut feelings" may stem from our subconscious processing of information. This can give us a sense of knowing or predicting someone's thoughts or actions, but it is not the same as actually reading their thoughts.

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