Seeking Scientific Sense

WHEN I WAS ELEVEN OR TWELVE years old, in 1966 or 1967, I read "The Interrupted Journey", one of the seminal UFO abduction tales to emerge after the Roswell incident. The monograph details the 1961 alleged abduction of Berry and Barney Hill, a New Hampshire couple who, under hypnosis, presented a fascinating account of being abducted, examined, and released by extraterrestrials, and suffering psychological after effects. The book was quite a sensation in the mid sixties, and it thoroughly entranced me. It would probably do the same today. Born was my lifelong interest in UFOs and the question of life on other planets, a question which remains unanswered, although progress is being made, in the form of numerous planets recently found orbiting other stars. My interest expanded to include other areas of research in what is commonly termed "the paranormal": mental telepathy, reincarnation, ghosts, among others. I coupled this with a love of science fiction. Asimov, Clarke, Bradbury, Heinlein, Silverberg were, and are, my favorite authors. Since the passing of those literary greats science fiction has regrettably devolved into pseudo science fantasy. Clark's dictum that the known laws of nature should never be violated in writing has long since been consigned to the dry eraser. To quote Goethe, it is the limitations which make the master. In Clarke's novels, nobody never traveled faster than the speed of light, and nobody ever fought multi-dimensional dragons with magic wands enchanted by spell casting sorcerers. Much the same has happened in the paranormal, realm, which has devolved from potential research science into imaginative fantasy. It has become an industry, a highly lucrative one, in which the shareholder devotees are shielded from, and do not seek accountability. The money is too good. Radio talk show hosts, podcasters, and writers serve it up, and it is lapped up, without serious scrutiny or skepticism. UFO research, abnormal psychology, past life regression, telepathy, ghosts of the deceased are all topics worthy of sustained scientific scrutiny. To a degree, they have all been given and are still getting attention from credentialed scholars. The results thus far are inconclusive. We have only anecdotal evidence, which is insufficient until repeatedly verified independently. Tragically, science has been drowned out by fantastic speculative imaginings; science has been popularly supplanted by sorcery which, unfortunately, sells better than science. Money mongering entertainers advertisers, and charlatans prey on the hopeful gullibility of those who dream without restraint. The ministers of alternative realities minister to their legions of votaries. Extraterrestrial emerge from unemotional unsatisfying scientific research, and dwell on the ocean floor, in earth's hollow interior, and insinuated within human power structures, disguised as human. They dwell within our imaginative longing for unfounded intellectual inquiry. it plays well, it sells well. it assumes the characteristics of a religion; devotion without evidence. Opportunists like Alex Jones , the promulgator of innumerable incredible conspiracy fantasies, "pushes the envelope", to quote Tom wolf. The Sandyhook massacre was no hoax. Twenty seven souls were murdered. Because of Jones' absurd, pernicious claim that it was, surviving family members have received death threats. Alex Jones belongs in jail, or an institution for the intellectually and socially malign. We do not yet know whether there exists a galactic federation, whether the Federal reserve is controlled by a secretive cabal of alien beings and European trillionaires, or whether advanced lifeforms dwell beneath the earth's surface. In each case, perhaps not. but unless we approach such questions with skepticism, critical thinking, and intellectual honesty, we never will. Our only hope is science, which, when studied closely, reveals itself to be far more interesting than sorcerers wielding magic wands.