noetic
adjective

- relating to mental activity or the intellect

- relating to activity of the mind

Oxford Languages, The Cambridge Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

"Noetic" derives from the Greek adjective noētikos, meaning "intellectual" or "intelligent”, which in turn comes from the verb noein, which means "to think" or "to perceive”. The ultimate root is the Greek noun nous, meaning "mind" or "intellect”. Interestingly, nous is also the root of the English word "paranoia" (when combined with a prefix meaning "faulty" or "abnormal”).

"Noetic" entered the English language in the mid-17th century, with the earliest recorded use dating to around 1650-1655 when it was adopted to describe things pertaining to, or originating in, the intellect.

In modern usage, "noetic" continues to relate to the intellect and mental perception, though it has also taken on connotations of inner wisdom, direct knowing, and intuition in some contexts.

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OUTER AND INNER JOURNEYS

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) began with a moment of wonder: Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell's view of Earth from space in 1971. This experience led him to establish IONS in 1973 as a research organization exploring consciousness and human experience.

IONS conducts research into meditation and human consciousness, publishing some findings in peer-reviewed journals. Their mainstream-accepted work includes studies on meditation's effects on stress reduction and attention enhancement. For example, their 2022 research on mindfulness practices in healthcare settings demonstrated measurable benefits for healthcare workers' stress levels and patient care quality. However, IONS also explores more controversial areas that haven't gained widespread scientific acceptance (i.e. involving the potential of human consciousness to influence physical reality).

Notwithstanding, as we face unprecedented global challenges, the work of IONS reminds us that the greatest frontier waiting to be explored may lie within our own minds. Who would have thought that a journey to the moon would have sparked a journey to the inner workings of the mind?

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

- for “intellect and the workings of the mind”

acumen, analytical ability, brain power, brainiac, braininess, brainpower, brains, bright as a button, bright cookie, bright spark, brilliance, cerebral power, cerebration, cleverness, cognitive ability (faculty), comprehension, discernment, egghead, einstein, erudition, foresight, genius, gray matter, has a good head on their shoulders, head screwed on right, higher reasoning (thinking), ingenuity, intellect, intellectual capabilities (capacity, powerhouse), intelligence, judgment, keen intellect, knows his onions, mastermind, mental ability (acuity, capacity, mental faculty, prowess, sharpness), mentality, mind, mind like a steel trap, mindpower, more upstairs, native wit, NOETIC capacity, nous, on the ball, polymath, power of thought, processing power, quick mind, quick on the uptake, rational faculty, rationality, reason, reasoning (power), rocket scientist, sagacity, savant, savvy, scholar, sharp as a tack, sharp mind, sharpness, smarts, the brain's engine, the power of thought, thinker, thinking ability (power), thought, two steps ahead, understanding, upstairs department, whiz kid, wisdom, wise head, wit(s)

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