Skeptic: Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

The Psychology of the Psychic and the Believer Mentalist

Do you believe in mind reading? Do certain people have the ability to sense someone's past or future?

We have all seen self-proclaimed psychics at work, telling their clients about their past and future. What is startling is the responses. Most of the psychic’s clients claim that the reading was absolutely accurate, down to the most specific details. How is this done? Is there really such a thing as psychic ability? Or are these psychics just very good at “reading” someone they have never met?

Mentalist Mark Edward will put on a psychic show for the skeptics, demonstrating sightless vision, predictions of the future, and psychic powers. He will then discuss the psychology of the psychic and of the believer, and consider why people want to believe.

Mark Edward is a full time professional mentalist who also specializes in spirit magic. He is Associate Resident Medium at the Magic Castle’s Houdini Se´ance Room. He is also an animal trainer with an interest in the lore of psychic animals, and he owns the worlds only known performing, fully “Levitating Dog.”