A Government By Psions?

[Diamond Cross]

A magocracy.

There is no practical difference between magic and psionics. In fact, the word 'psionics' is almost always misused.

'Psionics' refer to technological devices that boost mental power. They are to the brain what bionics are the body. For example, a device which allowed you to transmit your thoughts as radio waves would be a psionic device. Linking several such people together would create veritable 'telepaths'. This is the original usage of the word 'psionics'. Gradually, in science fiction, as the hard science justification got to be thinner and thinner, the term began to refer to general psychic ability. General psychic ability is how the term is used in fantasy settings like D&D.

However, pyschic ability is 100% equivalent to magic.

But the powers in the Expanded Psionics Handbook is very different than that of Arcane spells.

 

[Diamond Cross]

sorry but you can't expect a total absence of humour from such a questio

I wasn't expecting a total absence of humor, but I wanted people to know that I was looking for serious responses and that I was not trying to set up a humorous thread.

 

[Fifth Element]

But the powers in the Expanded Psionics Handbook is very different than that of Arcane spells.

Not really. There are definite differences mechanically, but to observers in the game world, they mostly do the same stuff. There's a huge amount of overlap in terms of effects.

 

[Janx]

I disagree with Celebrim's over-simplification yielding a 1 word fits all.

He's certainly right in that it's all magic. Just as any technology of sufficient advancement will be considered magic to a more primitive culture.

However, it misses the point of the OP, and predescant cases.

Theocracy = government ruled by the church

Magocracy = government ruled by Mages.

If you assume the prefix Mag means magic, then yes, Celebrim is right. However, pre-3e it meant Mage, or wizard. Only in 3e did they muddy the waters were Sorceror, and drop the term Mage.

 

[Desdichado]

Probably from the fact that we're discussing English words based on Greek roots, not ancient Greek words themselves.

So, perhaps the p wasn't silent, but it is now.

No, we weren't.

You need to reread his original post.

 

[Jack7]

EDIT: Until well into the Roman period, that is, when the plosives started migrating into different pronunciation. Mostly because so many non-Greeks were using the language by then.

You mean like when the standard form of Greek throughout the Empire became Koine? I believe I mentioned that, in the very first sentence.

You need to reread his original post.

Indeed, a good reading often goes a long way towards understanding what the other guy is actually saying.

And that bit of wisdom reminds me of an old story:

On the web above, below we say
Not what was, but what they may
And precision not to knots they tie
As if their proof were butterflies
(see how I cleverly worked psuchon in there?)
And experts in their chosen fields
Wax terms with fancy long distilled
To turn what's said upon its head
And eat their honeycombs with dread
For fear they might display their train
Upon the screen of net disdained
Indignant I demand they know
How important is my argued show
I'll take apart their mean intent
And redescribe it as I meant
And in that moment I will shine
For all my virtues quite divine
Will thrust me up as heaven sent
And I will say what's relevant
Despite the terms they used themselves
The meanings I can still dispel
If I just say and do insist
I am that thing you must enlist,
For knowing not I know the mind
That says whatever is on-line,
I comprehend without recourse
To text or context then remorsed
For sentences are codes I read
I need not words the thoughts to glean
Just let me digest as I will
And then I'll disgorge up my spiel.

The moral of this tail my friends
Is not to say what's tale, or ends,
But say it in the way approved
Or 'ware the masters long removed
Who reading of your words on screens
Will find an argument of means
Even if they must refit,
Redefine, rescope, or then remit
What never you did say in truth
But variation then forsooth,
And masters prowling with dissent
Will then demand your best consent
To say your piece within the way
That suits them best that harrowed day
When they upon your statement bound
And churning words, they danced around.


So, as you can tell Hobo, I'm giving this argument to you.
You've earned it, and you're certainly Greek to me.

Their leader is named Psucrates?

Or maybe, Psurikles.

but living in one would psuck

In my opinion, indeed, how pso, how pso, how truly pso.

 

[blargney the second]

Moving away from the linguistish sidetrack...

I'd like to suggest that a psionic government could be called a demopathy.

 

[Desdichado]

You mean like when the standard form of Greek throughout the Empire became Koine? I believe I mentioned that, in the very first sentence.

Well, to be fair, you did so kinda incorrectly (or at least imprecisely), hence my confusion about what you were talking about. Koine was coined (no pun intended) as the lingua franca of Alexander the Great's armies. Late Roman period koine was koine as it was hundreds of years later. You're talking about the very latest koine period, leading into Medieval greek. Since all you said was koine, that didn't make any sense to me, since my first thought of koine was the post-Alexandrian Hellenistic greek, not late Roman period greek.

 

[Argyle King]

Psyciety

?

 

[Saeviomagy]

Theocracy = government ruled by the church

Magocracy = government ruled by Mages.

Magocracy indicates magical power. Theocracy only indicates membership of the church: potentially a theocracy could be ruled by individuals who were non-casting members of the religion. Technically you could have a country that was simultaneously a magocracy and a theocracy: it would be run by members of the church who practiced magic (even if magocracy only refers to arcane magic).

I'm throwing my vote in for magocracy: the differences between the different categories of magic are slim enough that only practitioners will be able to tell the difference. Combine that with the fact that most of the time the only person using the term is the DM, and it makes you wonder why a new word is necessary.