Talk:Odic force

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The original version of this article read like a religious/mystic tract, with no sources or "factual" information of any kind. I'm tempted to list it on VFD, but a search on Google shows that apparently this is something that is believed by some occultists, though what I can find on the internet doesn't clarify things sufficiently to rewrite the article myself. As such, I just placed the accuracy, npov, and wikify templates on the page. siafu 02:12, 16 Jun 2005 (UTC)

This should work to start an intro:

Also called Od and Odyle.

The odic force is a vital energy or life force that permeates all living plants, animals, and humans. It is an historical term from eighteenth-century speculative science, described in Baron Karl von Reichenbach's Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat and Light in their relations to Vital Forces. Von Reichenbach's research found, among other things, that this Force had a positive and negative flux, and a light and dark side. The Odic Force made a scientific case for the universal life force, although since Reichenbach's experiments relied on psychically sensitive and psycho-kinetically adept individuals, it was never accepted in the general scientific community.

Nonetheless, it is interesting for the concept demonstrates that The Force in the Star Wars series has scientific precedence -- of sorts.

Contents

[edit] sources?

  • Current popularity of the theory within new age and paranormal communities has arisen at the same time as the success of George Lucas' fictional Force in the Star Wars series to which the Odic Force is an unmistakable antecedent.
  • Those that are said to drain the Odic Force from other people either willingly or unwillingly are called energy vampires.

Any sources for either of these assertions? -Willmcw 21:29, August 16, 2005 (UTC)

I deleted these two paragraphs because they are unsourced. In addition, the first one suffers from USA-centric cultural bias. --Smithfarm 19:01, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
    • The source of these original "Od" claims (sorry!) is Reich's book. It makes fascinating reading, like something by Franklin or perhaps Faraday. Reich was similar to the early electricity investigators: a scientist researching an entirely new branch of physics. His big blunder was to not pursue Od-detecting instruments, but instead to rely on the dark-adapted vision of "od-sensitive" assistants he employed. As with most topics excluded from contemporary science, if other researchers can't measure something, and cannot even see it themselves, then they won't attempt to replicate the experiments, and certainly will refuse to accept its existence unless evidence is overwhelming and "extraordinary." --Wjbeaty 16:45, 12 July 2006 (UTC)


The main modern useful use of the od is when playing Scrabble!! :-) Anthony Appleyard 12:16, 6 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] pronunciation

How is the given transcription pronounced?

Odic force (also called Od [õd][citation needed] and Odyle)

Could you please link the transcription signs to the pages about the sounds or give an explanation in teh article?--Imz 21:18, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Citation requests

I've inserted requests for proper citation (to include page numbers if the book under references is the source). I'll wait a while, then delete unsourced sections if not sourced Martinphi (Talk Ψ Contribs) 23:28, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Deletion

I deleted this: "Joseph Jastrow is one of my favorites. The book and page numbers are correct, but this material is selective and greatly distorted. Hysteria is not even mentioned. Just read the book. Oh, I forgot old books don't count anymore. Each generation must learn for themselves. Those who do not study history remain as children." —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 72.38.143.131 (talk) 21:25, 18 March 2007 (UTC).