If ESP were accepted by science, might it be used to cheat?

Of course. Just like AI. Just like anything.

Most people are fundamentally dishonest. They want to “win” (whatever that means) and they want to get there in the laziest way possible.

ESP would just be another means of cheating. Nothing new.

Many many years ago while in Junior College, I played cards for money with different team members / players. I had one guy that kept asking, “How did you know I had those cards ?”

We cleaned up several times, I paid for my books and supplies several semesters.

Oh I called the flipping of a coin correctly 25 times in a row. That is 2 to 25th power or 33,554,432. to one probability !

This would not be cheating.

@Forever_Free: I don’t agree.

The casinos would employ their own espers to detect people using teleptäthy.

It’s so much easier to use ESP for cheating, when it’s NOT “accepted by science”, but even once it is, that will only become a reason not to use it cheat, when trusted techniques are developed to detect when people have cheated via ESP. Which is particularly intrusive.

Note, though that “ESP” is not the same thing as infallible super-easy complete and perfect ability to analyze card game situations, or “read” anything in anyone’s mind.

What would hapen if two opponents had ESP? They would not be able to do anything, because they would keep changing their mind based on what the other one was currently thinking.

@luigirovatti Can you say why you don’t agree or should I guess why?

I don’t see why science has anything to do with it. Either you feel you have it and you use it, or you don’t.

@Forever_Free: Simply because if you have an inkling of where your hand is going and you’re making a mistake, your spirit guide or your instinct tells you to not play it, you clearly have an advantage over your opponent. You control the game. If this is not called cheating, I don’t know what is. Sorry for the late reply, btw.

If ESP were real, you could use it to cheat but others with ESP would know your intentions so it wouldn’t help much.

@flutherother I knew you were gonna say that.
@luigirovatti I knew you were gonna say that.
@janbb I knew you were gonna say that.

@filmfann And I knew you were going to say all those!

@luigirovatti Everyone already has inklings, instinct, and gut feelings. Some people just don’t listen to them. Does that mean everyone is cheating that listens to their instinct?

Definitely.

@Forever_Free: It depends if you’re using it illegally. You “cheat” obviously in a game with predetermined rules. In these games, you need some unknown. If not, there’s clearly no point in playing because the fun is over.