Editing Precognition (section)

===Antiquity===
Since ancient times precognition has been associated with [[dream]]s and [[trance]] states as well as waking premonitions, giving rise to acts of prophecy and fortune telling.  [[Oracle]]s, originally seen as sources of wisdom, became progressively associated with previsions of the future.<ref name="inglis">Inglis (1986), Chapter on "Precognition"</ref>

Such claims of seeing the future have never been without their sceptical critics. [[Aristotle]] carried out an inquiry into allegedly prophetic dreams in his ''[[On Divination in Sleep]]''. He accepted that "it is quite conceivable that some dreams may be tokens and causes [of future events]" but also believed that "most [so-called prophetic] dreams are, however, to be classed as mere [[coincidence]]s...". Where [[Democritus]] had suggested that emanations from future events could be sent back to the dreamer, Aristotle proposed that it was, rather, the dreamer's sense impressions which reached forward to the event.<ref>Aristotle. (350 BC). On Prophesying by Dreams.  [http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/prophesying.html Trans. J.I. Beare], MIT. (Retrieved 5 September 2018).</ref>