Editing Psionics (section)

==Etymology==
In 1942, two authors—[[biologist]] [[Bertold Wiesner]] and psychologist [[Robert H. Thouless|Robert Thouless]]—had introduced the term "psi" (from ψ ''psi,'' 23rd letter of the [[Greek alphabet]]) to parapsychology in an article published in the ''[[British Journal of Psychology]]''.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Thouless | first1 = R. H. | year = 1942 | title = Experiments on paranormal guessing | journal = [[British Journal of Psychology]] | publisher=[[Wiley-Blackwell]]|location=London, England|volume = 33 | pages = 15–27 | doi=10.1111/j.2044-8295.1942.tb01036.x}}</ref> (This Greek character was chosen as apropos since it is the initial letter of the Greek word ψυχή [''psyche'']—meaning "mind" or "soul".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parapsych.org/faq_file1.html#6 |title=Parapsychology FAQ Page 1 |publisher=Parapsych.org |date=2008-02-28 |access-date=2014-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626192424/http://www.parapsych.org/faq_file1.html#6 |archive-date=2007-06-26 }}</ref><ref name=parasoc1>{{cite web |url=http://parapsych.org/glossary_l_r.html#p |title=Glossary of Psi (Parapsychological) Terms (L-R) |publisher=Parapsych.org |access-date=2014-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824232035/http://parapsych.org/glossary_l_r.html#p |archive-date=2010-08-24 }}</ref>) The intent was that "psi" would represent the "unknown factor" in [[extrasensory perception]] and [[psychokinesis]], experiences believed to be unexplained by any known physical or biological mechanisms.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Harvey J.|last1=Irwin|first2=Caroline A.|last2=Watt|title=An Introduction to Parapsychology|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|date=2007|edition=5th|isbn= 978-0786430598|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first1=Charles M.|last1=Wynn|first2=Arthur W.|last2=Wiggins|title=Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction: Where Real Science Ends...and Pseudoscience Begins|url=https://archive.org/details/quantumleapswron00wynn_223|url-access=limited|publisher=Joseph Henry Press|date=2001|isbn=978-0309073097|page=[https://archive.org/details/quantumleapswron00wynn_223/page/n166 152]}}</ref> In a 1972 book,<ref>Thouless, Robert Henry (1972), ''From Anecdote to Experiment in Psychical Research'', Routledge & Kegan Paul Books.</ref> Thouless insisted that he and Wiesner had coined this usage of the term "psi" prior to its use in science fiction circles, explaining that their intent was to provide a more neutral term than "ESP" that would not suggest a pre-existing theory of mechanism.<ref>Nicholls, Peter and Brian Stableford: Entry, "Psi Powers" in Clute, John; Nicholls, Peter (1995), ''[[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]]'', New York: St. Martin's Press, p. 971.</ref>

The word "psionics" first appeared in print in a novella by science fiction writer [[Jack Williamson]]—''The Greatest Invention''<ref>Williamson, Jack (July 1951), ''The Greatest Invention'', ''Astounding Science Fiction'', pp. 56–96.</ref>—published in ''[[Astounding Science Fiction]]'' magazine in 1951.<ref>[[Alec Nevala-Lee|Nevala-Lee, Alec]] (2018), ''Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction'', New York: Dey Street Books/HarperCollins, p. 303 and n. p. 470. Nevala-Lee's text has 1950, but his citation has the correct date (1951).</ref> Williamson derived it from the "psion", a fictitious "unit of mental energy" described in the same story. (Only later was the term retroactively described in non-fiction articles in ''Astounding'' as a portmanteau of "psychic electronics", by editor [[John W. Campbell]].<ref>Campbell, John W. (February 1956), "The Science of Psionics", ''Astounding Science Fiction''.</ref><ref>Williamson, Jack (1984), ''Wonder's Child: My Life in Science Fiction''; New York: Bluejay Books, p. 189.</ref>) The new word was derived by analogy with the earlier term [[radionics]].<ref name="Williams"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Raso|first1=Jack|title=Mystical Diets: Paranormal, Spiritual, and Occult Nutrition Practices|date=1992|publisher=Prometheus Books|location=Buffalo, New York|isbn=0879757612|page=[https://archive.org/details/mysticaldietspar0000raso/page/268 268]|url=https://archive.org/details/mysticaldietspar0000raso/page/268}}</ref> (“Radionics” combined ''radio'' with ''electronics'' and was itself devised in the 1940s <ref>Entry “Radionic” in the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', 2nd ed. (1989), Vol. XIII, p. 105. The earliest citation in this sense (number 2) is from 1947.</ref> to refer to the work of early 20th century physician and pseudoscientist [[Albert Abrams]].) The same analogy was subsequently taken up in a number of science fiction-themed neologisms, notably [[bionics]] (''bio-'' + ''electronics''; coined 1960)<ref>Entry “Bionics” in the ''Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary'', 10th ed. (1993), p. 115.</ref> and [[cryonics]] (''cryo-'' + ''electronics''; coined 1967).<ref>Entry “Cryonics” in the ''Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary'', 10th ed. (1993), p. 280.</ref>