A contemporary term, derived from the Greek nous (“mind”), for the science of consciousness and its alterations. The term was first used in this manner by Madame Blavatsky, co-founder of the Theosophical Society, in an article in a theosophical magazine in 1890. She compared “noetic” to “manasic” (from the Sanskrit manas or “mind”) in her attempt to contrast the materialistic psychology of her day with both ancient Hindu and occult concepts of human beings. She suggested that there was a higher character, a divine consciousness, of the Mind than the individual human ego.
Unused for a century, the term “noetics” was picked up in the 1960s by Charles Muses. Muses was looking for a word to describe the new focus on the nature of consciousness by contemporary humanistic and transpersonal psychologists. As defined by Muses, “noetics” referred to the study of the nature, alteration, and potentials of consciousness. Muses’ definition has parapsychological implications, especially for results obtained with instruments such as the electroencephalograph. It also has value because of public interest in states of consciousness identified with the production of psychic phenomena.