Talk:Enhanced synesthesia

Ability Naming Conventions
The following sources are used for determining evolved human ability names, in order:
1. Canon Sources	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 enhanced synesthesia's name.
Source/Explanation
According to Heroes Interactive, "Emma's ability is a form of synesthesia".

Pretty useless ability

It's useful only for hearing impaired people like Emma. AltesUTC CH

• Unless we find out that she can control the sound too. That wouldn't be useless at all.--Laudo 08:25, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• I think Emma would completely disagree that this is a useless ability. :) But similarly, Peter's ability would be pretty useless if he were surrounded by people without abilities! :) -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 08:48, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
  • Nah, he never would be alone. Because it's Heroes, a show about people with powers! AltesUTC CH
  • I have synesthesia. And as cool as it can be, it's not an ability it's still a disorder. So this article is completely wrong being an ability. I've never met anyone like that who has synesthesia like Emma. So I think we should take this out of the abilities section. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about here. --Jason Garrick 11:02, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
    • This article doesn't describe the real life phenomenon of being able to visualize sounds. It describes Emma's ability to visualize sounds. Its name comes from Heroes Interactive:Ink. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 12:29, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
      • Well unfortunately it is a real life phenomenon. A lot of people suffer from synesthesia. It's not just some cool thing. And it's a little insulting that Heroes is calling it this power. Like someone mentioned on this page, it should referred to has enhanced synesthesia or something. If a character blasts fire from the hands, would we call it enhanced memory? No. Because it's not the same thing. and even if the writer said that, we'd assume they made a mistake. As I said, this is a disorder. Not some kind of super power. I wish synesthesia was cool like that but, it's not. --Jason Garrick 13:37, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

Is synesthesia a form of aspergers, in the UK there was a progamme about it saying people could see layers of numbers in front of them, another saw dates e.t.c 50000JH

Question

Because of the description Emma's friend gives, then if a character who hears light also be classified with this ability?--Laudo 08:25, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

• Possibly. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 08:48, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
  • No. Because it isn't a super power. --Jason Garrick 11:02, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
    • In the world of Heroes, it is. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 12:27, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
      • But even in the world of Heroes, it's addressed by Emma's doctor as a common condition among the impaired. Perhaps addressing this (or calling her ability "enhanced synesthesia"... or something less awkward sounding) might be in order. --Ricard Desi (t,c) 13:18, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
      • Maybe we're looking at this wrong. Anyone with synthesia can see sound, but how many synthesics in real life can use those sights to perfectly play an instrument for the first time? I think we need to delve a bit deeper by finding out exactly what her ability does. Either by asking in an interview, or simply waiting for next week. --Piemanmoo 13:25, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
      • thanks pieman. I think that is a great idea. We synestetes can not play instruments upon sight. lol. that's just silly. Even though I play violin I've been playing for twelve years!! lol. --Jason Garrick 13:40, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

Sound visualization

This sounds to me like Emma makes sound waves visible for others, that's why the name doesn't fit. Yet synesthesia sounds wrong as well - it's a condition in real life, and it isn't exactly what Heroes Interactive said. "A form of synesthesia". It's not the same. I think. AltesUTC CH

• I agree that it's not the best name...but it's the best source we have right now. Hopefully we'll get more information about it next week. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 12:30, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• I really think we have to make an exception to this one Ryan based on the description. I'll even go along with Enhanced or Super Synesthesia. But the writer's have wrongly identified what synesthesia and just because Emma can do something kind of similar to what synestetes experience, doesn't mean it's Synesthesia. A big reason it isn't in any way synesthesia is because we have it from birth. Not randomly one day. --Jason Garrick 13:43, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• It seems to me that calling what Emma has "synesthesia" is like calling "enhanced strength" just "strength". I have strength, but I can't toss cabs around or jump 20 feet, anymore than synesthesics can play music from light.--Cro Magnon 17:18, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
  • Heroes Interactive said that she has "a form of synesthesia". I would be fine with "enhanced synesthesia" as the name of her ability. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 18:27, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• Yeah, it should be "enhanced synesthesia" to differentiate from normal synesthesia, which clearly exists in the Heroesverse. --Silurian King 18:44, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

Just think of this:

the doctor said that loads of people who are deaf or blind have syesthesia, does this mean that they all have a power? --mc_hammark 12:37, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

• • It's not a power. And no. Not all deaf and blind people have this. --Jason Garrick 13:40, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
  • I'm not saying all deaf and blind people have synesthesia, I'm saying that in heroes, synesthesia seems to be an ability, and the doctor said that lots of deaf and blind people have synesthesia, ergo, those people would have an ability. Do you see what I mean? --mc_hammark 13:51, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
    • Yeah. I totally see what you're saying. but on heroes interactive it said that emma has a form of synesthesia. so therefore implying, REAL world synesthesia. And there is no synesthesia like that. --Jason Garrick 13:57, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
      • It doesn't matter if there is no synesthesia like that in the real world. This is Heroes. I wouldn't be surprised if the 'seeing sound' thing changes in a way where she can control or feel what others are feeling through the sound of their voices. Either that, or it will evolve into something else. As of now, I'm not trying to be rude, but saying it is not an ability in the Heroes universe is just a bit moronic. Sure, the writers could have researched it more, but until we know more about what they are planning for the ability, you can't say it isn't one INSIDE the Heroes world. Dean 18:36, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

Enhanced Synesthesia

I know the name "synesthesia" is quite controversial. Heck, I'm the biggest proponent for the name, and I don't even like it. I think we've found some common ground with "enhanced synesthesia", though, so I'd like to start a proper thread to discuss the name. Hopefully, that name shows demonstrates that it's something different than the real life phenomenon, yet it still goes along with what the Heroes Interactive writers are saying when they call Emma's ability of form of synesthesia. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 19:34, 29 September 2009 (EDT)

• "Enhanced Synesthesia" seems to be fine, for now. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will learn more about Emma and her ability enough to find a better name, because it needs some work. Though, to be fair, a large number of the abilty names we have could use some refining. --ElleFanBoy 21:22, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• I like this idea indeed!! It's definitely not plain old synesthesia. --Jason Garrick 21:37, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• They said in the episode that it was Synesthesia. That's why the naming convention is on canon source. Emma's doctor says it. ~~IHH—Talk 21:39, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
• no they didn't say it was that specifically. The doctor suggested that Emma MIGHT have it. They never explicitly stated it. --Jason Garrick 22:27, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
  • Jason's right. The doctor didn't diagnose Emma the way that, say, Mohinder diagnosed Monica. Additionally, the doctor was talking about the real world phenomenon. I think "enhanced synesthesia" straddles the line of paying homage to the real world concept of synesthesia, and recognizing that Emma's ability is something a little different, even supernatural. Plus, it hopefully satisfies the naming conventions of taking what a canon and reliable secondary source said (neither said it was synesthesia--one suggested it may be, one said it was a form of it). -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 22:32, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
  • That's why I like enhanced synesthesia. I would definitely agree that while similar there are very distinct difference's between Emma's and let's say, my synesthesia, which is the common grapheme color one. Also Ryan. In the three years I've been on heroeswiki I've never figured out how to add pics! I know, I'm stupid, haha. Is there a way? I have some great hi def pics from my itunes. --Jason Garrick 22:37, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
    • I'll leave a message on your talk page about adding pictures. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 23:11, 29 September 2009 (EDT)
      • I can agree with Enhanced synesthesia, but it still sounds off to me. I hope they give us a better name. --Riddler 03:41, 30 September 2009 (EDT)
        • To me it about the ability being developed. 50000JH

• Thank you for defining this has Enhanced synesthesia, because I for instants have synesthesia (the kind where you taste things by hearing) and I was kind of like "Wow, synesthesia is a power? Weird..." xD Meteoritu =D- 21:18, 30 Septemeber 2009

Here's a thought?

Is this ability just limited to the deaf? If someone who could hear perfectly got this ability, would it be called Enhanced Synesthesia? --mc_hammark 11:51, 30 September 2009 (EDT)

• Maybe Peter will absorb it, so we could tell. AltesUTC CH
  • It would be the same thing if someone with hearing had the ability, simply less useful. Its still confusing sound with lights. And I'd say its likely Peter will gain this ability, since he is the character interacting with her. --Action Figure 14:54, 30 September 2009 (EDT)

Canon source?

I'm not sure if the doctor suggestng a possible disorder, is the same is it being out-and-out synethesia; so If it's from Heroes Interactive i think it should be treated as Near-Canon or Secondary. Obviously with naming conventions we'd still have to stick with it as it's all we've got so far, but I wouldn't say it's from a canon source. Also if we are thinking of alternate names how about (Advanced/Enhanced/ ) Echolocation? --Kh93 12:48, 30 September 2009 (EDT)

• You're absolutely correct, Emma's doctor did not say that she has a form of synesthesia. She only asked whether or not Emma had ever heard of synesthesia, and said that it's possible (that she has it). It was Heroes Interactive that definitively said Emma has a form of synesthesia. The power name template at the top of this page should never have been changed. I just changed it back. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 12:59, 30 September 2009 (EDT)

Not an ability?

It's a real life condition. Emma may not be an EH at all. AltesUTC CH

• Well so is Enhanced Strength. You have to work extremely hard, but it is possible! ~~IHH—Talk 07:14, 1 October 2009 (EDT)
  • Nobody can punch through people and walls in real world, or bend guns with their bare hands. This is an ability of evolved humans. As for Emma's ability, we haven't seen anything beyond its real life equivalent. AltesUTC CH
    • That's where the word enhanced comes in. Abilities with enhanced as a prefix imply that the ability is just a strengthened version of things which any human could do. Think enhanced hearing, strength or memory. Despite those with specific disabilities, anyone can hear, everyone has strength, and everyone has memory. The enhanced prefix is what denotes Enhanced synesthesia as an ability, rather than the condition. (I also believe that she is literally seeing the sound waves, not just percieving them in her mind as do those with the condition.) -- Psilaq R.- \m/ -_- \m/- 17:54, 1 October 2009 (EDT)
      • I also don't think we've seen everything Emma can do. -- RyanGibsonStewart (talk) 20:37, 1 October 2009 (EDT)
        • You know, until we see that she can do more, we shouldn't have this as an ability page. I mean I think it's an ability myself, and I agreed to "Enhanced synesthesia", but what if the writers pull a fast one on us and decide she just has the condition and we're experiencing it with her?--Riddler 12:09, 4 October 2009 (EDT)

Derren Brown

Did anyone see his most recent show "The Events" and the one with the remote viewing? In that there was a "blind" guy who clicked his tongue and could tell where walls were and where poles were. Is this like synesthesia; seeing through sound? --mc_hammark 11:02, 4 October 2009 (EDT)

• I remember that, I sorta thought that it like how bats hear - but thinking about it, it probably is --IronyUTC CH 11:50, 4 October 2009 (EDT)
  • Like "Daredevil"? AltesUTC CH
    • Close, but no. What you're seeing on "The Events" is Echolocation. It's how bats travel. Basically what it is, is they make a sound, and the sounds in turn bounce off of their surroundings, allowing them to figure out where everything is. Synesthesia involving the tongue would involve tasting something... such as hearing a word and having a distinct taste in their mouth.--Riddler 12:08, 4 October 2009 (EDT)