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Talk:Telepathy

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Ability Naming Conventions
The following sources are used for determining evolved human ability names, in order:
Episodes
2. Near-canon Sources Webisodes,
Graphic Novels,
iStories,
Heroes Evolutions
3. Secondary Sources Episode commentary,
Interviews,
Heroes: Survival
4. Common names for abilities Names from other works
5. Descriptions of abilities Descriptions
6. Possessor's name If no non-speculative
description is possible
Note: The highlighted row represents the level of the source used to determine telepathy's name.
Source/Explanation
Explicitly listed in the Mozaic file (The Fix) and on the file Nathan gives The President (Dual).


Inaccirate Description

I'm not sure 'telepathy' accurately describes Matt's powers. Telepathy is more like communication from one mind to another, I'm pretty sure. That's not exactly what he does. Is this even worth changing, or am I totally wrong?  :) Mcg (talk) 1:18, 29 December 2006 (EST)

According to Wikipedia, Telepathy is "the paranormal acquisition of information concerning the thoughts, feelings or activity of another person." So it seems to describe Matt's power pretty well. :) (Admin 01:28, 29 December 2006 (EST))
According to dictionary.com, Telepathy is "communication between minds by some means other than sensory perception". Seems like there's multiple meanings. :P Telepathy is good, then. Mcg (talk) 1:30, 29 December 2006 (EST)
That definition also seems to cover Matt's powers. In his case there is communication occurring between minds. Communication can be one-way, so with either definition we're covered. :) (Admin 01:38, 29 December 2006 (EST))
  • Way too many examples. Heroe 14:59, 3 January 2007 (EST)
    • See here for discussion.
      • Mind reading is More accurate cause remember what the Parkman's talked about in the couch. Matt said he can only read thoughts NOT see them. And a Telepath can EXCHANGE information Including Pictures.
        ~ ~ ~ ~ Red = 08:35, 13 February 2007 (EST)
        • See Wikipedia definition above. Telepathy is an appropriate description of the power. Telepathy does not require an exchange nor does it require pictures. Those are just different versions of telepathy. (Admin 09:23, 13 February 2007 (EST))
        • Though there are, granted, many terms to describe any one thing, we must decide on a single name. Telepathy is perfectly descriptive, as is mind reading. But it's fruitless to go back and forth with name changes and such, especially when it's not just one thing that needs to be changed, but many references throughout. — RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 09:59, 13 February 2007 (EST)
        • Since telepthay doesn't actually exist, we aren't bound by any other definition of it, apart from what's shown on Heroes. Also, while it's not a canon source, Matt's dossier on primatechpaper.com does refer to his ability as "telepathy".--Hardvice (talk) 13:25, 13 February 2007 (EST)
          • One must be able to distinguish the difference of those aspects. I wouldn't Place too much Value on wiki as a FACT, but a 3rd party source. BUT even the description is “thought-transference” Transferring BOTH Ideas, Images, etc... and the Limits on Matt's abilities in scope completely describes just Mind Reading. BUT since the Primatech Site says so, and Suresh's Notes[1]. I'll have to submit.
            ~ ~ ~ ~ Red = 15:16, 18 February 2007 (EST)

Didn't Maury tell Matt that hearing other's thoughts was just the beginning of his power? It seems that Maury has a stronger/similar/same ability as Matt, and that Maury can hear people's thoughts, hence somehow telling Molly was there, and trapping her in her mind? Maybe it's mind manipulation. Maybe Matt can do what Maury can do. Maury said something along the lines of "we aren't so different after all" and lots of signs point to having the same ability, just less developed.--Evanmeads 17:21, 23 October 2007 (EDT)

Occurrences

  • Isn't there another occurrence of Maury's power when he makes Matt and Nathan believe that he had a photo of himself with the death-threat symbol over him, when it was actually a picture of Bob not him? Or did I understand that wrong?--E rowe 16:42, 23 October 2007 (EDT)

Healer Telepath

I think that there is another example of telepathy in the episode "Lizards". The healer woman who talks to Maya and says she can help, and then she appears to read Maya's mind and the mind reading sound effect occurs several times (the sound Matt's mind reading makes). I was thinking of adding the healer to the list of known telepaths.

  • There's no way to confirm whether she was telepathic or had some other ability (healing or psychic diagnosis, for example), or no ability at all. This has been discussed on Talk:Curandera and Talk:Healing.--Hardvice (talk) 16:47, 1 November 2007 (EDT)
    • It does seem as though she has an ability as, as stated earlier, the sound effect was played. But I do agree, the sound effect does not tell us WHICH ability she has. -- eXplicit (talk/contribs) 10 July 2025 - 10:41 EDT

True, and but maybe she read her mind and saw what Maya had done. You've got a point, the sound effect doesn't prove anything. Also, is there an article relating to the healer?

Dream Telepathy

evsdropr calls it dream telepathy] for Maury.

Deleted Scene

Should Matt's display of telepathy from the season two alternative ending be listed under notes? We list Kaito's ability under notes, makes sense to add Matt commanding an entire police station. Same with Maya, she was supposed to have used her ability to absorb the Shanti virus, also worth to list under notes, as well as Peter using TK to cause a rockslide and block the bridge in Odessa. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 07:10, 5 January 2009 (EST)

  • Anyone? Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 16:15, 10 February 2009 (EST)
    • Because deleted scenes/alternate endings aren't considered canon, I'd say no. --Darmenos 14:33, 27 February 2009 (EST)
      • I'd say yes, just perhaps with a friendly reminder that it can't be considered canon information. -Whizzles 16:53, 27 February 2009 (EST)
        • That's what I suggested, we already have other deleted scene info listed in other articles in notes section. It's been done before. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 18:22, 27 February 2009 (EST)

Telepathy based precognition

According to the latest BTE, Matt can use precognition because via his telepathy he can put himself in the same state of mind as precogs. Should that be mentioned here, at precognition or in both? Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 16:15, 10 February 2009 (EST)

I think it would be fine if we mention it on both articles. But are we listing precognition as a byproduct of telepathy or no? Sincerely, Thrashmeister [ U | T | C ] 18:00, 10 February 2009 (EST)
We were listing Matt as having two abilities, not sure if we should still list like that. Some reply also wanted in the previous topic. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 18:03, 10 February 2009 (EST)
Matt isn't enetering the same state of mind, he is accessing the same plane that precogs naturally access with his telepathy, it's is technically a byproduct or a limit as it something being caused by his telepathy itself.--Steelymcbeam 00:05, 27 February 2009 (EST)
I'm thinking it has something to do with that stuff Usutu fed him. Kinda like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget. Dracomaster4 00:10, 27 February 2009 (EST)
If it was just the paste, Hiro would also have precognition. BTE stated that Matt can enter the state with telepathy after Usutu helped him, the paste did have an effect, but it's not the only reason Matt has precognition. I would list his ability as telepathy in the infobox, putting precognition as a byproduct, because that's what it is, list precognition as a sub section of telepathy in his character page. If Matt was to lose his telepathy, the same would happen with precognition. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 12:08, 27 February 2009 (EST)

Image Request

I think we should change the image of Matt to one of these three.

Example 1, Example 2 and Example 3

Only reason why i feel the need to change it is because it merely looks like he has a headache. I look the same way with a bad headache. These pics make him look more concentrated on the thoughts he is reading.--Catalyst (01:57, 14 March 2009)

  • i like example number 3 -- Scorvi12 (02:01, 14 March 2009)
  • However much i dislike the current image, there really isnt one better. I mean those three images just look like a camera shot of his face lol i would suggest just sticking with the current image, i doubt we are gonna get a better one. --Lolwut 13:50, 14 March 2009 (EDT)
  • i like example three...i agree the current image sucks

I personally like the current image fine, but a suggestion if people really want to change it is one similar to example number 2 (Matt interrogating Noah), only from in the bit in Cold Wars where images of Noah's past flash on the screen. That does kinda represent the power. Just a thought, but as I said, I think the current one is alright, personally. Super-Hiro

  • I don't think we actually can get a good picture of Telepathy! Every picture I've seen so far just looks like Matt with a headache, Matt frustrated or Matt looking at something a distance away. I agree with the previous poster-we should have a flashback as the image.--Hiroman 12:56, 2 November 2009 (EST)

Why are there so many telepaths?

Three people having this power naturally: Matt, Maury and Charles. Telepathy beats the record... --Altes 02:01, 14 April 2009 (EDT)

The names in italic font mean characters from graphic novel, and I was talking about those who appeared on the show. So count again. --Altes 12:19, 14 April 2009 (EDT)

  • so pyrokinesis beats the record --Cj31094 20:52, 15 April 2009 (EDT)

Range

It seems we have something about his range. Some think that Matt hearing the agents in the street from the house shows he has a greater range, but he he could hear Daphne's thoughts from a great distance as well in part one of the Eclipse. Your thoughts? Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 19:41, 21 April 2009 (EDT)

  • The range could possibly be even larger. However... Hmm... *guesses* 50 metres? -- Altes 13:14, 29 April 2009 (EDT)

What a great ability

Anyone else that this Ability encompasses so many others. Illusion, Persuasion, Dream Manipulation, Mental Manipulation, Precognition, and Empathic manipulation, Bliss and horror are all the things he could do with his ability(though the last two are assumptions due to him being able to affect emotions.) He also made himself fly in an illusion, i guess that doesn't count. Also, I had an interesting theory. I wonder if, like Sylar, Matt can take powers from examining the brain, as he does, essentially, do that, just from the inside. Maybe that's how he got Precog. It would explain what 'His power will develop in ways Maury's never did' means. I think we need another mimic, it would be cool if they did this.MIDAS 15:07, 14 May 2009 (EDT)

  • Matt can control what the brain does, but if his own brain can't do what others' can, I don't think he can get other people's abilities. As for how he got precognition, see a couple topics above. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 17:13, 14 May 2009 (EDT)

My original theory was that Matt unknowingly made Usutu extend his ability to Matt - permanently. But then it turns out that he used telepathy to paint the future, not gain said ability.--ERROR 10:49, 7 June 2009 (EDT) Midas you said this ability can copy other abilities do you think it is impossible for him to gain empathic mimic and see him block other people ability{50000JH}

Wrong Name

The overal definition (wikipedia or otherwise like the internet and books on parapsychology/Psychicism) is that Telepathy is the ability to hear/read the thoughts of another, what this article describes is Mind Control. Matt has both of those abilities, Mind Control developed from Telepathy through general power advancement, just like Hiro learnt to bend time and space or how Tracy developed Hydrokinesis (Water Mimicry) from her Freezing power (Cryokinesis).

And, someone down in the next section said "Because Telepathy doesn't exist we aren't boundby external definitions". Firstly, that's your opinion, some people (like myself) believe in real world telepathy and others actually think they can do it and besides according to the naming rules (number four I think) external definitions do matter, if they're common enough.

Also, if you needed anymore proof that this is the wrong description for his power (which actually has been properly named in canon sources I might add) here's a bit of Latin for you:

"Tele" is a Latin word meaning "Distance/from afar" and "Patheia" meaning "to be affected by" (Although I didn't rip that from Wikipedia I'm usre you can affirm it there) combine them and you get "to be affected from afar" it doesnot mean Mind control.

Oh, and finally, we can fully view suresh's notes from the picture supplied in the below section. Half the bottom page is covered so he might be listed as having Mind Control as well and even if he isn't Suresh (at the time of writing that entry) might not have known that Matt could do more than just read minds.

This article neds to be moved to Mind Control and the actual Telepathy one needs to be rewritten, for all the reasons stated above..Wiccid 17:21, 2 June 2009 (EDT)

At the risk of sounding rude and inconsiderate, just look at the power naming template at the upper right corner of this talk page, it'll tell you everything you need to know about the naming of the ability. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 17:35, 2 June 2009 (EDT)


.....And? I've seen that file and it list him as being telepathic but that doesn't rule out the fact that he can control people's minds as well, nor does it mean that both abilities are the same. In the same file in Dual, Tracy Strauss is only listed as having "Freezing" as her ability, but we also know that she can mimic water, does that mean that Water Mimicry and Freezing are the same? No, it just means they idn't know that she could do that, or would learn to, at the time that file was written.

Once again, the page needs to be moved and the Telepathy article rewrittenWiccid 21:24, 2 June 2009 (EDT)

Actually, Wikipedia says that telepathy is "the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals". Matt, an individual, transfers information on his thoughts (his commands) to another individual. - Josh (talk/contribs) 21:53, 2 June 2009 (EDT)

Speaking in the imperative doesn't make someone do something. Someone could telepathically tell someone to do something, doesn't mean they'll listen, its just like normally telling someone to do something. Matt's other power of Persuasion (just remembered the canon named for Mind Contol) is what lets him control people. Also reading someone's thoughts is a transfer of information, transfers don't have to be two way.Wiccid 22:07, 2 June 2009 (EDT)

  • He transfers the commands straight to a part of the mind that automatically obeys them. Of course the name "telepathy" applies to mind reading too. I didn't think transfers had to be two way. - Josh (talk/contribs) 22:16, 2 June 2009 (EDT)
  • That's clear speculation, not valid as minus point.Wiccid 23:14, 2 June 2009 (EDT)
    • You have to take into account the fact that the Company named the ability telepathy. - Josh (talk/contribs) 23:27, 2 June 2009 (EDT)
      • Ultimately, it doesn't matter what Wikipedia says, or what any "expert" on telepathy says. The articles on Heroes Wiki are defined solely by the information we're given in the Heroes universe. Matt's power was explicitly named "telepathy" more than once, and the article called telepathy on Heroes Wiki accurately describes Matt's power. That's really all we need to worry about. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 23:33, 2 June 2009 (EDT)
Actually it kinda does. Before "Heroes" Telepathy has alwaysgone by that steadfast definition almost exactly and we aren;t even sure how its treated on Heroes.

I'm saying Matt has two abilites, Telepathy and Persuasion, just because he hasn't explicitly named his ability doesn't mean it isn't there. That would be like describing Pyrokinesis and flight under the name pyrokinesis, assuming that just because the character hasn't specifically named the second ability it equates to it being the same as the first. I don't think I can even think of one single occasion where Matt did name his first ability, even. Just because a power develops from another doesn't make it the same. Feel free to prove me wrong though, really, I 'd actually love to hear an occasion where he does name it.

Also, this is just my personal opinion but it seems liek you're trying gloss over the obvious flaws in this article by telling everyone to just move on...

Once again, needs movingWiccid 10:34, 3 June 2009 (EDT)

  • Again, the Company and Pinehearst both named the ability "telepathy", knowing what Charles, Maury, and Arthur could do with the ability. If someone had one ability that allowed both creating fire and flying, that would be one ability. We assume they're one ability because Noah told us every character has one ability, not because only one aspect of the ability has been named. The only evidence of an ability developing from a different ability is Sylar, Peter, and Linda, and Arthur using their ability acquisition abilities to acquire abilities. - Josh (talk/contribs) 11:57, 3 June 2009 (EDT)

Telepathy is the ability to detect and send thoughts. Sending thoughts could be used as mental persuasion, which extends into verbal persuasion, and these two forms of persuasion expand into mind control, which explains (Or perhaps expands further into/extends to) the entire "You can control anything the brain controls" thing. The scanning-the-memory thing is probably a deeper form of mind reading - meaning one can scan memories by "digging deeper" with one's mind reading. And the illusions can be achieved by sending/implanting visual/tactile/aural thoughts. All in all, it's a fine name for this ability, and it's from canon and near-canon/secondary sources. These are my thoughts on the subject.

Beyond that, I just can't see what your problem is. So Heroes isn't consistent with Wikipedia. This isn't Wikipedia. This is a different Wiki - Heroes Wiki. We categorize information about Heroes, which we get from the show, from the writers, and from things made by the writers that relate to the show, not from Wikipedia. Even if you don't think that, my above explanation works, doesn't it?--ERROR 23:20, 5 June 2009 (EDT)

Remember telepath is also called pyshcopath which pyscho means mind so it be affected by the mind. affect which is verb acting on a object in this case the mind. I don't to be fussy but I agree with you but in a different way I think it should be "mind or far hearing" in greek/latin after Matt heard minds or far video(latin) of seeing after seeing what was in Noah head with mind or far hearing. As these are the words that fit the best. In wikipedia it has clairsentience as clear feeling to pick up vibres from a person and to know what they emotion was like but in other sources it has two meaning and other one is to see the past by touching, it has postdiction to see an event which has happened which sounds more clear than clairsentience, you could also argue about pyrokinesis which kinesis mean movement or motion but they are creating fire not moving it. There are a lot of abilities that the verbs don't fixs well into, if we are talking about an ability being given a wrong name. I don't want to sound like a person saying I know everything and other people don't if other people are reading this and think I might be acting rude or over the top. 50000JH

Whether you like it or not, telepathy is a canon name and is not to be changed. AltesUTC CH

I wasn't trying to change it the meaning in english don't fixes to the ability. 50000JH

Do not talk about English and use bad grammar in the same sentence. Also, like it or not, "telepathy" is the name of the ability, no saving throw. All the reasons I stated above plus canonicity equals permanent name. On a related note, I'm not sure "canonicity" is a word.--ERROR 21:06, 15 January 2010 (EST)

Seeing images in people's minds

The Peter Petrelli section begins, "Peter has displayed a few things that Matt has yet to accomplish with telepathy such as seeing actual images in people's minds." But didn't Matt see images when he read Angela's thoughts prior to entering her mind in Eris Quod Sum?

  • You mean when he was trying to pull Victoria Pratt's name out of her? That wasn't shown explicitly, but it's more likely he just forced her to say the name. AltesUTC CH
  • I don't like the way it's worded. It makes it sound like peter is a better telepath than matt, which I highly doubt is the case.
    • Don't worry, Peter has yet to display way too more things Matt has already done :D AltesUTC CH
    • Matt saw inside Noah head.--50000JH 10:08, 1 October 2009 (EDT)50000JH
      • Matt was pulling Noah's memories out of him, so technically, he did see images on a more advanced level than Peter. Yep, you are correct! AltesUTC CH

Recent image change

Was it discussed? I don't see it. Intuitive Empath - Talk - Contributions 09:01, 2 November 2009 (EST)

  • There is a bit above, but no-one really agreed on anything. I think the current one is fine as it is, but there isn't really a good way to show it. --mc_hammark 15:00, 2 November 2009 (EST)

Precognition

I know this was brought up at least twice before, but I feel this fits best here. Out of curiosity, how do you think Matt can use precognition? The writers said, "he can access the same plane of consciousness as precogs," but his ability is reading and manipulating minds, not accessing unique planes of consciousness. I personally think that he read Usutu's mind when he entered such a state, and that somehow that put him in the same state. It's a stretch, I know, but not as much as the writer's explanation.--ERROR 21:16, 15 January 2010 (EST)

Images

This isn't about the ability itself, but about its examples page. In "Our Father," Matt read that guy's mind in an attempt to locate Issac's sketches. In "Turn and Face the Strange," Matt makes Alena think that Matt and Danko work together. And in the ending of An Invisible Thread, Matt makes Sylar think he's Nathan Petrelli (How anyone could forget to categorize THAT is waaaaay beyond me...). And yet, these things aren't listed there, and yet the page is SUPPOSED to show ALL of the demonstrations of the ability. So could anybody add those? 'Cause I can't, due to not knowing how.--ERROR 23:27, 5 June 2009 (EDT)

Sylar

I'm not crazy about listing Sylar as a holder of the ability, as he never truly had it. IMO that's something better suited for the notes section. Thoughts?--PJDEP - Talk - Polls and Opinions 19:44, 24 May 2010 (EDT)

Sylar never had telepathy. He utilized Parkman's telepathy, but never had it himself. His body never had it, and while Sylar's mind was in Parkman, it didn't exercise IA. The powers are "stored" in the body. --Ricard Desi 00:35, 25 May 2010 (EDT)

Another Telepath

Should we list another telepath named "Unknown Victim of Arthur", since he stole and showed this ability before taking Peter's abilities.--Sekobro (talk) 10:42, 15 October 2015 (EDT)

  • Did he actually demonstrate telepathy? My only recollection is of Maury using his ability to communicate with Arthur. (Admin (talk) 10:54, 15 October 2015 (EDT))
    • Yeah, he used telepathy to convince Angela that Nathan had to die. After Arthur was revived, he used telepathy again to trap Angela in a coma and then to re-enter her mind when Matt was trying to free her from her mental prison. -Kon (talk) 10:58, 15 October 2015 (EDT)
      • Ah, oh. My memory of this is a bit fuzzy. Could be the time that's passed or perhaps a visit from an old friend. (Admin (talk) 11:08, 15 October 2015 (EDT))
  • Considering there's no information on this unknown victim I personally don't think it needs to be explicitly listed as a user of telepathy. (Admin (talk) 11:08, 15 October 2015 (EDT))
    • Agree. If we had an article on the person, or even a name, that would be fine. But I think that's something that can go in the notes section. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 11:45, 15 October 2015 (EDT)
      • Well, there have been cases that original owners of some powers are unknown, and still they have been listed at powers page as "unknown". That was the reason of my question ^^. Like we don't know original user of body insertion or sedation. And we listed an Unknown Victim because of Samson Gray and his telekinesis power. So i thought maybe we should also consider listing an Unknown Victim of Arthur for telepathy.--Sekobro (talk) 13:31, 15 October 2015 (EDT)
        • That's a good point. I'd rather see those unknown people taken off the other templates and put in the notes, rather than add another unknown to a template. Just my opinion. :) -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 16:03, 15 October 2015 (EDT)

Edith/Maury/Matt

I just learned that Matt's grandma also had an ability (while reading Maury's assignment tracker profile), and it says she had an ability. There are two part which captured my attention.

"Edith failed to learn the English language, and was highly agoraphobic." and

" Parkman once confessed that his mother never revealed her ability to anyone but him (including her husband), while subjecting him to what could only be deemed excruciating mental anguish, i.e. inducing alternate realities and individuals into the mind of her son, beginning at the age of three."

So she was tormenting Maury with some kind of power. Just like Maury was tormenting Matt using his telepathy. And it says she was "agoraphobic" which is the fear of loneliness and helplessness. It's Edith's biggest fear, so it makes sense that she might have used her own fear againt his son, Maury. Maury also tormented Matt using that (by locking Matt to a room in his mind). Later on Matt trapped Maury to that room which had a bigger impact on Maury.

So could it be that she had telepathy and tormented Maury using that. And Maury used those methods on Matt. Since Maury&Matt had same ability it's not that far fetched to say Edith&Maury might have had the same ability. And it might even be source of Arthur's telepathy. Since Maury hated his mother and her power, he just fed Arthur with his mother's telepathy.--Sekobro (talk) 05:30, 7 November 2015 (EST)

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