Nature and SuperNature CH 09

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Nature and SuperNature

Ever since Robert Jastrow's publication in 1978, God and the Astronomer, physicists and astronomers have flooded the shelves with books relating science to God. This is not a mass conversion but instead the outcome of a growing body of compelling evidence that there is a reality beyond the universe. The big bang model implies a reality beyond space-time. This has a serious implication regarding the nature of RUFO's.

Beyond Space and Time

Throughout the twentieth century scientists tirelessly constructed every conceivable model of the universe in an attempt to circumvent Einstein's equations of general relativity. They tried to push the beginning off into infinity as evolutionary processes demanded infinite time but they failed.

In a series of papers written by George Ellis, Stephen Hawking, and Roger Penrose from 1966 to 1970, these scientist extended Einstein's equations beyond matter and energy to include the fabric of space-time. They did so and developed the space-time theorems of general relativity. These theorems declared that space-time has limits and hold true under all possible physical conditions.

Therefore, general relativity stands as the most thoroughly tested and firmly established principle in science. Some scientist suggest the theorem will be referred to as a law. Recent testing has also expanded the reach of the model into inflationary models.

The First Cause

Science is the cause and effect study of relationships in the physical universe. Einstein demonstrated that the universe is an effect in itself.  Based on the work on innumerable scientists in astrophysics the universe began with ten dimensions. Six stopped expanding just after the point of origin and space-time continued to expand. Scientist differ in the details but these differences are becoming fewer as research continues.

By the rules that govern rationality and the entire scientific community one must ask, "What caused the first physical effect?"  

The space-time theorems of general relativity dictate that the cause of the universe exists and acts beyond and unconstrained by anything within the universe. The cause can be described then as transcendent and has the capacity to initiate the dimensions of space-time. In essence, science has crashed through the physical limits to discover the supernatural.

The Nature of the Supernatural

  

Most philosophers, scientists, and political scientist would agree that an individual has the right to believe whatever they want to believe. However, that does not settle any arguments and many simply do not care about the truth.  For the people who care about the rational validity of their belief, the universe holds abundant clues to the supernatural. Such an investigation, would yield clues regarding RUFOs.

A measured characteristic in the universe known as 'fine tuning' reveals a delicate balance of life giving qualities. Should one of these, some 38 critical qualities, vary slightly the existence of life would disappear or let alone never emerge any where in the universe. The existence of life goes beyond the wide sweeping qualities. At least 153 qualities must persist in the Earth's solar system for life to emerge. Molecules inside the simplest cell demonstrate complexity far beyond the best human inspired machines. The overall impression is compelling evidence of intellect, design, creativity, will, and awesome power. The clues point to a person rather than an abstract entity or force as the designer and default of the universe.

Comment: Physicists Paul Davies remarks, "The evidence of design is overwhelming and compelling."

The Anthropic Principle

The impression of purpose and care has become so strong that it has now achieved the name Anthropic principle. The features of the universe point towards a human being, a complex and sentient creature, as the beneficiary of the transcendent design. There are scores of carefully balanced natural qualities that exist permitting life to emerge. Within the laws of nature are indicators of the creator's character. As one of the features, the universe provides sufficient information to propose, test, and refine human understanding of truth. The reality that the natural and supernatural intersect leads to an inter-dimensional hypothesis regarding RUFOs.

Comment: This chapter has enormous implications not only for RUFOs but much of the psuedo-science of evolution and climate change. The challenge is communicating this knowledge to the common masses in a productive manner.  Unfortunately, political and personal agendas assert themself over rational consideration.

References

Ross, H., Samples, K., and Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress: Colorado

Government Conspiracies CH 08

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Government Conspiracies

The concept of a conspiracy theory is that a small cabal of people are operating against a larger weaker group. The cabal secretly orchestrates situations to their benefit and to the detriment of the larger group. A small number of people in the larger group work to expose the cabal that is well resourced, organized, and powerful.

UFO buffs claim the US Government secretly is covering up the existence of aliens. These buffs claim that the absence of proof, is proof itself of a well orchestrated cover up. Conspiracy theorist rarely consider the possibility that they misrepresent facts and allow assumptions to rule judgments. They do not allow for a scientific method and ignore or find fault with evidence amassed.

Real conspiracies do exist. Most of them are compromised or discovered quickly. Few, if any, conspiracies can be kept secret for long periods. Keeping a UFO coverup for 50 years would be nearly impossible. Yet, UFO conspiracy theorist tout Roswell, Project Blue Book, Area 51, and other pet subjects in a loud voice as evidence of a Government coverup.

Political Culture

The United States has had a history of anti-governmental conspiracy theories. Americans are naturally suspicious people. The American Framers intentionally designed a government that institutionalizes a battle for power knowing that human tendency is to accumulate power. Conspiracy theories are not uniquely American. Although, evidence suggest that the UFO conspiracy theory is more common in the West than elsewhere.

The Psychological Dynamic

Many models exist to describe how people process information. The model that applies to UFO conspiracy theorist is the Cognitive Psychological Model.

People process information either in a theory or data driven manner. Theory driven processing is interpreting information based prior beliefs and knowledge. This processing begins with an assumption and is filter through that lens. Data driven processing begins with data collection and assimilation. The theory is formulated based on the raw information.

Commentary: These information processing theories get at the notion of truth theory. On one end of the scale of truths is a correspondent truth. At the other end of the scale is an epistemic truth. A correspondent truth is similar to data driven information processing and correlates to a fact or is self evident. An epistemic truth is based on a set of relatively 'good' assumptions similar to theory driven information processing. One has to evaluate the assumptions usually based on inferential logic to determine the strength of it's virtue and validity.

Theory driven thinking is less taxing than inductive time consuming data driven thinking. Theory driven thinking is simply more efficient. For this reason alone, psychologist point to theory driven thinking as employed more frequently. The are five reasons for theory driven thinking given by scholar Robert Jervis:

• Most people construct their own personal image of reality.
• Most people develop a set of beliefs and images about their physical and social environment as they mature.
• The construction of a person's experience is highly selective.
• People see what they expect to see based on personal experience, prior advice, or on cultural bias.
• People assimilate information according to their pre-existing beliefs.
• Additionally, people maintain cognitive consistency.

The problem with theory driven thinking is that it leads to errors as an outcome of perceptions and predispositions that people seek information to confirm. This is known as hypothesis-confirming bias which keeps people from considering the full body of knowledge. If they do consider discrepant information they tend to dismiss as irrelevant or not credible. These bias undermines people's ability to value alternative interpretations and theories of a given event or behavior. People tend to look at their assumptions first then the data interpreting it in terms of the assumptions. Their other problem is that peoples beliefs resist change under normal circumstances.

There are three points used to judge if someone is engaged in irrational cognitive consistency.

1. They fail to consider a large amount of information contrary to their views.
2. They fail to consider obvious and important events that warrant attention.
3. They fail look for evidence that is clearly available.

UFO conspiracy theorists generally meet, at least, one or two if not all three of these criteria.

Contrary Evidence

Credible information exists that contradicts the UFO conspiracy theorist. Yet the theorist have never been able to produce credible evidence or data of their own other than a few hoaxes on community bulletins. These theorist also never explain how the Government or a small clique of rogue officials could keep a lid on an operation of the scale that UFO theorist purport. Keeping secrets is virtually impossible in the modern day as dribbles of information leak in various ways.

UFO reports seem to pace the technological advance of stealth aircraft design efforts. Theorist rarely have situational awareness. Thus, these advances would appear near revolutionary. Contact to solid reasoning based on factual evidence, UFO theorist often present spurious search and wild speculations based on questionable sources. They also retell stories over and over with 'evidence' or testimony elicited from suspicious characters. The stories are retold to the point they become truths in the theorist minds.

Popular Opinion

UFO conspiracy theory has become a fade in America. In 1996, a Gallup poll indicated that 70% of Americans believe in Governmental coverups regarding UFOs. This may hold true since for the 40 years prior the US Government has many questionable events such as Watergate, Vietnam, questionable electoral processes, etc... The UFO phenomenon is cast as a negative which is impossible to disprove. There is always one more person, hangar, or shred of evidence that keeps resurfacing.

The theory is more of an ideology than a true theory. In a natural science lab experiments are conducted to verify the hypothesis. In social sciences, the hypothesis is tested against historical evidence. If the evidence is contrary the to the explanation the assumptions must be adjusted. The same is true for rational cognitive consistency regarding UFOs. Yet the ideologue is under no such compulsion to adjust the ideology. So they constantly reinterpret the evidence as one more person, document, or event becomes known. The public is endlessly duped into believing in the conspiracy mill theories.

Ockham's Razor

This dictum states when two or more competing theories explain an event then the simplest one is probably closer to the truth. The razor slices away unnecessary assumptions. No one has to be a scholar to do this.

Common sense and a healthy respect for the interests of the Government go a long way towards explaining the Government's behavior. For a variety of reasons, conspiracy theorists engage in irrational cognitive consistency and maintain their cognitive balance  in an irrational way ignoring the absence of evidence. They also fail to provide evidence for their position and refuse to acknowledge contrary valid evidence.

References

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress: Colorado

Chronos' Anomaly

This post was inspired while I was driving along Sunday morning 21Oct12. I started school during the 1960s. We were living in Hawaii. My school room was open air on three sides sitting atop a bluff over looking the North Shore on Ohau. I would sit in class looking down the beach watching the waves wash up underneath the palm trees. Despite the serene and picturesque views, I recall the Vietnam War, a War in Angola, and the Six Day War against Israel. I saw many images of drugged out people and my grandparents had to put sympathizer flags on their door to prevent civil rights rioters in Camden, New Jersey from destroying their home. At a young age, it seemed to me that war and violence was a way of life. The socialist were marching and rioting as well. Jane Fonda was pleading that if we only understood communism we would be on our knees praying for it before sitting in a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft battery sighting US war birds flying overhead in 1972. Is today as it was then?

Chronos' Anomaly

I walked out the door early this Sunday morning into a comfortably crisp temperature and brilliant blue sky. Dew on my pickup truck was glowing crimson as morning sun beams pierced the green canvas. The birds sang out. I jumped in, put the windows down, and headed out for a coffee at the local coffee shop. With that nostalgic crack and a hiss, the AM radio station was playing songs from the 1960's. The truck seemed to pierce through heatwaves that began to warbled off the pavement as the day set in. In a resounding snap, I was flashed back to the era of the music and driving an ole Ford pickup coming up on a 1960's coffee house.

Pulling straight into a Mayberry styled street parking spot, I climbed out and slammed the door shut with a heavy weighted thud and hollow sound of a solid steel door. The bell on the door jingled announcing my arrival. The shop's musty smell and aroma of fresh brewed coffee mixed in waves churned up by the ceiling fans. From a high shelf above the counter, a radio reverberated the canny sound of music and news throughout the shop. Swirls of dust spun in the beams of sun light flooding through blinds and store front glass. I sat upon an aluminum stool at a cheesy green Formica counter lined with an aluminum strip, ordered a coffee while pulling the stacked sections of a disheveled newspaper towards me, the date was July 1969.

As I sipped on the coffee, the 1965 song Eve of Destruction drummed in, "The Eastern world, it is exploding; Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’..." The people next to me spun around and walked out. The song continued, "Yeah, my blood’s so mad feels like coagulatin’; I’m sitting here just contemplatin’; I can’t twist the truth, it knows no regulation; Handful of senators don’t pass legislation... When human respect is disintegratin’; This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’... Think of all the hate there is in Red China."

Fresh from church, a man and woman stepped up to the coffee bar. As I glanced over, the woman held her purse up in front of her bright yellow outfit, smiled, slowly nodding her head downward then back up. The radio hissed and cracked again as the 1967 song For What it is Worth hauntily echoed, "Paranoia strikes deep; Into your life it will creep; It starts when you're always afraid; You step out of line, the man come and take you away. It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound?; Everybody look what's going down."

Taking the last sips from my ceramic cup, I spun off the stool and headed out the door. The truck chugged as it turned over then sputtered to a smokey start. As I drove along the path that brought me here, the Sun was bearing down on the road ahead. Heat puddled and the horizon warbled in the rising heat. I reached down twisting the radio knob in a loud click and buzz the radio faded in. The tinny sound of Elvis let out the 1962 song Return to Sender.

The dusty road swirled behind me when in a flash the road became newly paved ahead of me. I arrived home and clicked the TV on. The news anchor was highlighting fighting in the Middle East, failure to pass budget legislation in Congress, and China holding the US debt over us. Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan was speaking out. The newspaper on my table talked of socialism and takeover of the economy by the government. For what it's worth, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances.” Perhaps the acts are in rerun or it just that history repeats itself. I reflected back to a song sung by Sonny and Cher...

History has turned the page, 
The miniskirt WAS the current thing, 
Teenybopper WAS our newborn king, 
And the beat goes on, the beat goes on.

Those Darn Teenyboppers!

Those darn teenyboppers are back! We begin life as infants and become infant-like in late-life. On the way to late-life, perhaps we pass through the Teenybopper years. As a young boy during the 60’s I recall the time when my father used to grumble beneath his voice, “That darn Teenybopper.” On occasions when things did not go well after a Teenybopper encounter he would add, “Those darn Teenyboppers, they mess everything up.”

I thought at that time the Teenybopper was some kind of major social problem. No one could get away from the Teenybopper as it seemed they were everywhere working in fast food, checkouts in grocery and retail stores, at the swimming pools. They even had environmental concerns performing yard work and collecting redeemable bottles. Many times because of their inexperience, happy-go-lucky style, and carefree ways; things would get screwed up and frustrations would run high amongst older people. Based on my father’s frustration with them, I thought the Teenyboppers were ripe for unleashing civil disobedience riots that were common in those days.

As I grew older, I learned the term Teenybopper is used to describe those years between childhood adolescence and adult life when people cling onto their childhood innocence and excitement, yet are expected to behave more seriously. Nonetheless, the term was attached to baby boomers especially during the 1960’s as a catch phrase. It showed up in their music groups uniquely like the Beatles, Monkeys, and Archies who often appealed to the Teenybopper.

Some 40 years have gone by and those darn Teenyboppers are back. Today, I visit stores and restaurants where the clerks are not so young anymore. Incredibly, life has not seemed to teach them much and the happy-go-lucky zeal has turned a little cranky. Recently, while at a retail outlet the checkout clerk was a baby boomer in her late 50’s, possibly early 60's. She complained that the credit card swiper did not work, she had been on her feet way too long, her back hurt, and the merchandise I bought was too much work for her.  Frustrated by technology, the clerk asked the much younger manager to clear the register in order to ‘ring’ the purchase a second time.

Meanwhile, the line behind me lengthened. As mumblings grew louder she remarked, “I was working check outs before you were in diapers, honey.” Then cocking her head to one side, she handed me my purchase and smiled as though she had never uttered a cranky note singing, ”Have a nice day.” As I walked away I mumbled, ‘Those Darn Teenyboppers’. Then I paused for a moment wondering if she waited on my father some 40 years ago?

Note: This was written during 2003 after a trip the the local Bed, Bath, and Beyond. While checking out, I was inspired by the older New York twanged female grumpy cashier who had a heavily wrinkled face, bright red lipstick, and wiry hair that was overly buffed up. She actually did act out these events. 

RUFOs The Unexplained UFOs CH 06

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

RUFOs The Unexplained UFOs

Hugh Ross explains that many intelligent well educated people have difficulty dismissing all UFOs. Respected ufologists agree that after most of the reports are reasonably explained there are a few residual reports that cannot be explained. They seem to produce physical effects but a not physical themselves. This contradicts fundamental assumptions of science and cannot be glossed over. This raises the question of how prevalent are RUFOs?

Jacque Valle, computer scientist and astronautical researcher, studied the files from Project BlueBook. He concluded that 23% of the files could not be identified as having a natural or human devised source. Astronomer J. Allen Hynek, founder and director of the center for UFOs Studies and official consultant to Project Blue Book, concurs with Vallee's numbers roughly remarking that 1 in 5 is a RUFO. Others have estimates too but none are claiming that all are identifiable.

In a reality check, a dozen scientists reviewed the RUFO database to dispel cases finding that many left physical effects without physical explanations. The physical evidence ranges from depressions, burns, scorching patterns to human trauma. One curious incident in Trans-en-Provence, France on July 8, 1981, leave physical evidence of extreme aging which does not resemble anything known to exist, natural, or man-made. Animals often become agitated specifically dogs and cattle. Machinery has been observed to malfunction or cease to operate during the UFO event then return to normal operations afterwards.  In a reality check, UFOs disobey firmly established physical laws. RUFOs exhibit the following behaviors:

1. They leave no physical artifacts even after crashing
2. They cause no sonic booms
3. They do not seem to be affected by air resistance
4. UFOs are seen but rarely photographed, photographs are always low resolution which changes at times
5. They may be detected but not seen or seen but not detected on radar.
6. They make sharp turns, sudden stops, and impossible accelerations to 15,000 MPH.
7. They hover above ground or harm buildings and trees without downward thrust of air
8. They change momentum without an equal and opposite reactions
9. They change size, shape, and color randomly
10. They disappear and reappear or disintegrate then reintegrate
11. They emit no detectable electromagnetic energy
12. They emit lint that cast no shadows, twinkles sometimes, that is finite in length and changes the color of people or objects
13. They sometimes remain indistinguishable in shape despite close observation
14. They consistently succeed in evasive action, sometimes vanishing into the ground without a trace or vanishing instantly.
15. They melt asphalt and metal, burn grass and leaves without fire or flames.
16. They physically injure and kill humans apart from any physical agent.

RUFOs prefer rural areas, lonely roads, and fewer than six witnesses. They appear mostly at 3 AM as opposed to other times. Rarely do they appear to large cities. They are not physical or more skywatchers would have observed them. NASA turned down a request by President Carter to study RUFO phenomenon citing that the lack of natural evidence as physical entities NASA cannot engage in such a study.

Hence, if NASA refuses to pursue UFOs on the basis that they lack evidence of being physical then this has implications for a scientific case.

Commentary: RUFOs seem to be ambiguous and ethereal and acting in a psychotic sensibility. They leave physical effects but lack evidence of a natural physical presence. These events seem to be delusional at best but there has to be a strong answer given the physical evidence remaining such as injuries and animal reactions. It is discomforting to science that this RUFO phenomenon exists without reasonable explanations. 

More recent research is pointing towards natural phenomenon affecting the human brian. Research is indicating that naturally occurring frequencies that form electromagnetic loops similar to the lines of force can pass through regions of the human brian stimulating hallucinogenic experiences. The research shows that the subjects have lucid religious, spiritual, and UFO-like experiences. 

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorad

Government Cover-Ups CH 07

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Government Cover-Ups 

Mark Clark writes that UFO believers are strongly supportive of the UFO phenomenon and frustrated that alternative explanations of residual UFOs are real. In support their claims they point to government cover ups and conspiracies. Three of the most prominent arguments are the 1947 Roswell, New Mexico crash site, the Air Force's project blue book, and Nevada's Area 51.

Roswell

There is a flurry of stories and myths about the Roswell, New Mexico incident that occurred in mid-June 1947. Researchers have complicated the situation by changing the story between 1980 and 1996 as new information became known, to dispel the wilder claims, and attempts to promote forgeries. Researchers from Brandeis University detected six variations of the incidents.

Clark gives the account that in mid-June 1947, something landed on  the Foster's sheep ranch operated by W.W. "Mac" Brazel. This was located 75 miles north of Roswell. Brazel first discovered the materials on June 14th but did not collect the materials until July 4th. Brazel reported the findings on July 7th.  In a concurrent event on June 24th, Kenneth Arnold observed and reported nine dislike objects while flying near Mt Rainier, Washington. While Brazel was unaware of UFOs on June 14th he became aware of them by time he turned in the materials.

The physical evidence recovered from the Foster Ranch included an aluminum like material, scotch tape, some other tape with markings as flowers, wood, and other materials weighing no more than five pounds.  Photos of the recovered material are widely available.

Conspiracy theorists disagree on a wide number of points regarding nature of the event and the events that followed. One account has the Army performing autopsies on aliens. The current theory is that the experiment was disabled or aborted producing the debris found and the 'real stuff' is hidden by the Government.

The appearance of a cover up was inadvertently caused by a hasty press release. First Lt Walter Haut released under orders from Major Marcel, the base's intelligence officer, that the Roswell Army Air Field captured a flying saucer. In the meantime, the materials were taken to Fort Worth, Texas to the Eight Air Force Headquarters. The next day, a Warrant Officer Irving Newton and  Brigadier General Roger Ramey issued a contradictory press release stating that the debris was remnants of a weather balloon. Thus, the contradictory statements by Government officials set the conditions for a cover up conspiracy.

The weather balloon account is based on research being conducted at the nearby Alamogondo Army Air Force Base. The research was unclassified but some balloons were carrying a classified payload to sonically detect a soviet nuclear detonation. Most on the project were unaware of the purpose. A senior scientist, Charles Moore, working on the project known as Mogul learned of the purpose in 1992. Moore identified the Roswell debris as being NYU Balloon flight 4. His notes indicated the identical materials found including a tape from New York Toy Store having the purple and green flowers described by conspiracy theorist as "hieroglyphics".

Clark concludes no one had questioned the official story for thirty years until UFO conspiracy theorist resurrected the Roswell account on shaky memories, second and third hand testimony, and hypnosis of key "witnesses". He also postulates that the need for the Government to maintain secrecy and how it classifies information can create the circumstances for conspiracies. 

Classified Information

Clark felt it important to discuss how the Government classifies information and the implications of secrecy. He pointed out that the government classifies information by levels from confidential to above top secret. Then the government compartmentalizes information. The idea is to increase protection based on a need to know. The sets of information are then further protected using code words.

Security classifications create problems when the free flow of information is essential.for scholars and often creates issues when the right and left hands should be talking. This sets the initial conditions for people to make contradictory comments based on the limited information available. This confusion is an additional level of security but also creates conspiracy theories as well.  

Project Blue Book

This project was an outcome of two earlier projects, Sign and Grudge, and was commissioned to explain the rash of UFO sightings demanding attention. Project researchers concluded that UFOs were explainable quickly.  The mission changed from assessing UFOs to tracking accounts and alleviate public anxiety. Later, the CIA became involved and explored the use of the phenomenon for use in psychological warfare. However, a CIA panel to assess the use of the phenomenon feared unjustifiable public hysteria if the UFO phenomenon were to be exploited for national defense purposes. Instead, the panel suggested that the U.S. downplay the UFO mystery and develop a program to help people assess between real and imaginary threats.

In the same year, U-2 flights began and were reflecting sunlight from 60,000 feet after it was dark on the ground. A new wave of UFO reports dramatically increased and the Government was pressed for answers. Aware of the reconnaissance aircraft, U-2s and SR-71s, they explained the sightings referring to natural phenomenon such as ice crystals and temperature inversions in order to protect the secrecy of the reconnaissance aircraft programs.

By the mid 1960's, the Air Force was looking for a way out of the project and contracted the University of Colorado to study the program. Physicists Edward Condon lead the project and was heavily criticized by even his own research team members.. J Allen Hynek of Northwestern University and Project Blue Book adviser criticized the methodology.  Hynek argued there was no government cover up despite his criticism and later founded the center for UFO studies. In April 1969, a special panel reviewed Condon's report that concluded extensive study of UFOs was unwarranted then concurred. The Air Force shutdown Project Blue Book.

Bureaucratic  Politics

Bureaucracies compete for limited resources; are slow to make decisions taking them in new directions; operate using standard operating procedures; and promote themselves and their staff. These characteristics make bureaucracies resistant to change and a tendency to increase in size, operation, and reach.

The Air Force was new in 1948 and looking to justify its existence. The UFO phenomenon was a preeminent reason based on the Cold War Threat of Soviet air power and ability to deliver atomic munitions. The Air Force quick deemed the UFO threat low. Once into the UFO business the Air Force was stuck with it. Since the project was not high visibility with no real threat and obscure due to its secrecy, it was not attractive to promotion hungry leadership. They viewed it more as a nuisance and assigned low ranking officers to the project.  As the program grew it sucked resources that the Air Force wanted to redirect to other things. So they sought to contract the University of Colorado to give them an out.

Area 51

This is an "Officially Unacknowledged" military base meaning the existence is not confirmed or denied.  Area 51 sits on a dry lake bed the geographic size of Connecticut. The base was built as a landing strip for highly classified aircraft. All of the projects at Area are "Black Budget" which are hidden in publicly released documents. The reason for this is simple. The military wants to keep its research and development dollars hidden from the enemies of the United States so it creates "Black Projects".

Espionage is still a problem and black projects are ongoing contributing to speculation.  This sets an ideal stage for UFO theorist who insist on Government cover ups that evolve into conspiracies.

Commentary: People's imaginations often get the better of them. They piece together disparate information, innuendos, and government attempts to manage espionage filling in the gaps with fantasy notions. Often these notions are based upon the maturity of their worldview whether a secular, Christian, or some other type of worldview. They then seek justification of the notions by searching for information that seems to fit. The problem may lay in the fact that they are driven by the view more than by the knowledge. Thus, they attempt to make the knowledge fit the view rather than permit the knowledge to form the view.

It seems, to me, that many people also have a desperate need for off Earth sentient life to exist. The fantasy cast by Star Trek zooming around the Universe meeting new sentient life forms is overtly appealing to many. In most Sci-Fi when a physical problem is encountered in the storyline a technology is often invented to get around the problem such as gravity boots or universal language translators. The imagery of this technology is usually dated. The original Star Trek tricorders looked like cassette players of the times. Later the tricorder became minaturized as electronics minaturized.  It seems that the world is forming the view rather than the honest knowledge. The same seems to be of UFOs.

Current Roswell Crash Site Photos. You should check out the inscribe saying at Roswell. I wonder if some future civilization will find the inscription, as we have found cave drawings, and surmise an actual visitation event. 

• WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE, 
• WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CAME, 
• WE ONLY KNOW, 
• THEY CHANGED OUR VIEW OF THE UNIVERSE... 

References

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress: Colorado

Interstellar Space Travel CH 05

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Interstellar Space Travel

Hugh Ross writes that images of Star Trek’s Enterprise zooming at warp speeds around the universe coupled with the Apollo space missions during the late 1960’s made the realization of aliens travelling through space even more possible. The common man pondered if life did arise somewhere else and had the same curiosity to explore space as we do. What kind of technology would they need? Ross reflects that space travel is more about the laws and constants of physics than any technology which can never overcome those laws.

Scale of space travel

The vastness of space is not comprehensible by human imagination. For E.T. to travel on the fastest NASA spacecraft ever built it would 112,000 years to travel from the nearest star to reach the solar system. Even traveling at half the speed of light it would take nine years to make the trip. Given the requirements for life to exist discussed earlier, there are no possible stars within 50 light years that meet the requirements for life. Thus, space travel would have to be much longer than the nearest star.

The hazards of any trip are enormous. The spacecraft would have to zigzag through space avoiding neutron and supergiant star radiation, nova and supernova eruptions, Stay in the plane of the universe, and avoid dense dust fields.

Communications with the home world would be assumed as well if a space traveler. However, a SETI scan of 202 solar system type stars within 155 light years indicates no intelligible signals.

These numbers now push space travel out to 230 light years away when considering the zigzag flight path necessary to reach Earth.

The speed of space travel

This poses many problems. The laws of physics prohibit travelling faster than the speed of light. At the speed of light the energy required to move the mass is infinite. At half the speed of light the energy required 170 million times more than NASA’s faster spacecraft.

Other mass problems arise. Engines require mass to operate. At higher speeds the mass required is exponential more. The spacecraft’s mass increases geometrically in relation to the payload.

Speed also increases the risk of collisions with space debris. To protect against this requires mass and also increases the mass of the spacecraft. To protect against radiation mass needs to be added because the radioactive particles erode the spacecraft surface. Conservative estimates regarding space travel speeds are at 1% the speed of light. Otherwise, the dangers of space increase dramatically and the response to counter these dangers is prohibitive of travel.

Wormholes

Wormholes are the outcome of highly imaginative and technically trained space travel enthusiasts suggest that advance aliens pass through wormholes to distant locations in space. This idea offers no help in solving the distance and time problem.

A worm hole occurs when mass of an object causes the curvature of space to increase to a point of a singularity that connects to a like event somewhere else in space. The resulting ‘tunnel’ would allow a travel to short cut space and time.

Ross questions the practicality of this event citing the best established models demonstrate that the regions of space connected are already close. Hence there is little advantage to a wormhole. Moreover, the probability of two blackholes connecting in this manner is nearly improbable. The greatest evidence against a wormhole is the physical laws of matter would preclude passage without destruction.

Multi-generational Travel

Ross postulates with such long distances and expansive time frames, space travel may require many generations. Ross argues the best life span for carbon based life is about 1000 years even if hibernating. Ross concludes that the generational progeny would most likely become confused and the original mission would be lost. Survivability would be nearly impossible since a single ecological disaster could wipe out the travelers.

Machines versus aliens

Given the risks, distance, and time involved aliens would most likely send machines rather than themselves. The bottom line is that the physics of interstellar space travel make the sentient life form travel impossible.

Commentary:

While fantasy charms us with fanciful off world tales and adventures, the reality of space travel under the current paradigm is nearly impossible. Humans may travel short jaunts to the Moon or even Mars in the future under variations of the current technologies and known physics. It is doubtful that humans will be physically capable of traveling beyond those limits since the speed of light is a limiting factor. There cannot be the mach equivalent in light as in sound. Sound is a particle wave having mass whereas light is electromagnetic wave that is not only massless but also behavorially distinct from particle waves.

However, all particles are in instantenous communication faster than the speed of light. Gravity affects all particles instanteously. Perhaps as we begin to understand the mechanics of gravity some aspect of its nature can be exploited for human interstellar space travel. That was the hope of wormholes but the mechanics and practical application are not feasible.

Likewise, based on mathematical interpretation of the theory of relativity nothing can travel remotely close to or at the speed of light. Nonetheless, we have a wave-particle theory of light and light itself travels at the speed of light. Perhaps the particle collapses or attenuates into a waveform. If we understand how this occurs perhaps something like a Star Trek Transporter will become possible. People will travel in directed beams in this case. 

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorad

Evolution's Probability CH 04

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PhD in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations. The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

 Evolution's Probability

Hugh Ross writes that according to long held naturalistic beliefs life on Earth is attributed to a simple mix of the right hydrocarbons, the right mineral rich pond or mud, and sparked into life by a sufficiently powerful enough energy source that will produce biological life spontaneously. Then over sufficiently long enough periods of time the life form will evolve further into more complex life forms. Since this process occurred on Earth then it holds true that it will occur on billions of other planets. Now, despite being previously established in earlier chapters that life on other planets and even Earth is an impossibility. The consideration is that life evolved naturally elsewhere and then was transported to Earth by some sort of mechanism whether natural or created. Four scientific conclusions are considered by Ross:

1. The Earth has not existed long enough for life to naturally evolve.
2. The conditions on early Earth were not favorable for life to naturally evolve.
3. Life could not have come to Earth from space.
4. Life is too complex to have arisen through evolutionary processes on Earth or anywhere else.

On the matter of time, Ross concludes that there has not been enough time for evolutionary processes and regardless of the amount of time, the conditions on Earth were not conducive to fragile life emerging spontaneously. Evolutionist acknowledge that these transitions take eons of time to occur. Ross points to several instances in which life abruptly appeared several times under extremely hostile conditions of interstellar bombardment that occurred for long periods in early Earth. He points out that the archeological record indicates that life appeared very rapidly after the surface of the Earth cooled. He further points to the enormous complexity of life transitioning from inorganic to organic and inanimate to animated.

On the soup kitchen theories, Ross concludes that the primordial soups or other substrates that incubated early protoplasmal life utterly fail due to conditions hostile to life in the early Earth. Ross points to scientific evidence that primordial soups are not possible. He further complains that school text books continue to promote these soup kitchen ideas despite the evidence to the contrary.

Ross directs his attention to life from space indicating that evolution proponents turned to the possibility that life was transplanted or transported to Earth via natural or created means. In Ross’s discourse, he considers life from Mars, from space rubble, and life that rides stellar winds. He determines that these sources and natural transports are too hostile to perpetuate life through space in some sort of pollination process. Ross finally concludes that panspermia is not possible because of the hostile conditions of space towards carbon based life and the lack of a suitable point of origin for life to evolve.

Ross then considers the problem of complexity. He notes the wide complexity gap between a few amino acids in a solution and the simplest living cell. Ross looks to a molecular biophysicist, Harold Morowitz, who calculated the size of this gap and determined that the odds were stacked against natural re-assembly of the simplest life form. Ross then discusses how naturalists reject this finding and seek a series of ill-fated responses;

1. Sequencing flexibility
2. Simplicity
3. Multitalented RNA

Ross determines that RNA and the cell cannot exist exclusive of each other. They must exist simultaneously. Given the observations there has not been sufficient time, Morowitz’s odds, and the requirement for RNA and the cell to come into existence simultaneously there is no hope that life has evolved anywhere in the universe - at all.

Ross closes this chapter discussing the gloomy prospects for evolution and life elsewhere in the universe. He points to the improbability of life occurring even on Earth. He then discusses the fact life does exist and poses the question where did it come from? He then theorizes an intelligence from outside the universe caused life. He concludes discussing the subject of the book, extraterrestrials. Then poses the question could intelligent life physically travel through space to the planet Earth for scholarly and/or warlike purposes?

Commentary: Ross begins by looking at the Abiogenesis hypothesis then explores Spatial Panspermia hypothesis and finally considers complexity. An interesting note, the history of evolution appears to have been plagarized from science-fiction more than developed from science.  In 1752 Ben Franklin flew a kite and harnessed energy from a lightning strike. Scientists began to experiment based on Franklin's finding and quickly learned that living tissue is electrically responsive. The author Mary Shelley was observing these experiments and became inspired to write 'Frankenstein: A Modern Prometheus' in which she asked the question did his soul come from the Earth or from God. The novel was published in 1818 and became the talk of the coffee houses. Fifteen years later Darwin set out on the HMS Beagle for a five year voyage and returned in 1838. By 1858 Darwin's inspiration to write 'On The Origin of a Species' and 'The Descent of Man' had Frankenstein overtones from 30 years prior. Darwinism when regressed to the abiogenesis hypothesis is the soup kitchen theories of inaminate matter being jolted into life electrically. During 1870, Darwin suggested a little warn pond that had the right ingredients for life to originate from a life giving force - possibly lightning.  About 1870 the Frankenstein book was revised adding in the laboratory scenes in which Van De Graft generators built up charges and jolted the monster into reanimated life. However, life in itself is not purely electrical as the human essence seems to be something still elusive to most humans and science. What is the soul?

As for the complexity argument, physicist Richard Feynman (an atheist) and microbiologist Matt Ridley (an secularist) have some interesting thoughts. Feynman is noted for his work in quantum physics and was a pioneer in quantum computing and nanotechnology. Feynman hypothesized a universe that was computationally organized based on a tri-state logic. Ridley leveraged this notion discussing that the Genome was 4 bits of information G, C, A, and T embedded in a complex molecular strand. Additionally, Ridley pointed out that information acts on the Genome;  timing, duration, and sequencing of a gene firing. According to Ridley, nanotechnology, intelligent worker molecules, gather the information and endow biological life. When asked where all this information and intelligence comes from Ridley quipped that there had to be, "... a Genome Operating Device, G.O.D."

When contrasting creationism to evolution theory from an argumentation perspective, the evolution argument requires more assumptions underpinning the belief.  In general, world views are built on relatively good assumptions from which the knowledge grows. This is epistemic truths. Undermine the base theory and all higher level arguments become unsupported. The Judeo-Christian worldview requires three assumptions; 

1. God exists, 
2. the Bible is his infallible word, 
3. and Jesus Christ is who he says he is.  

Evolution is built on several assumptions from its underlying premises.

1. Nature is self-originating.
2. Nature is self perpetuating.
3. Nature is self-descritpive.
4. Nature is self-defining.
5. Random action is a naturalistic phenomenon.
6. Infinite is a naturalistic phenomenon.
7. Nature increases in complexity as a natural phenomenon.

Based on the KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid,  principle, less faith is needed to believe in Christianity than Evolution.  But it gets more interesting. In mathematics, Goedel's law states that nothing can be self-descriptive or self-defining.  The scientific law of diminishing returns states that nothing can be self-perpetuating nor increase in complexity. The concept of enthalpy was introduced to suggest that momentary increases in complexity occur when a plant or animal gestates then grows. However, this is subject to the overall law of diminishing returns. In short, everything is falling apart not increasing in complexity. In mathematics, randomness is a surreal concept in the surreal realm that is approximated by pushing any repeating patterns to a negligibly rare occurrence known as pseudo-randomness. In science, randomness cannot exist as otherwise repeatable experiments are not possible. Science is ordered, the opposite of random. In mathematics, infinite is a surreal concept used for folley with ordered equations and not of the real realm.  In science and mathematics, infinite is an order of magnitude that is unbounded on the upper and lower limits.  Atom smashing experiments discovered the boundary limits of space-time. Hence, the universe is not infinite. Thus, the universe being of the natural, infinite is not ascribed to nature.  Evolution draws on assumptions that are not supported by science or mathematics. Hence, evolution theory fundamentally falls apart. Evolution stands (or collapses) on its on merits. There is no need to prove or disprove Christianity's creation in order to disprove evolution. Creation stands on its own merits independent of any other theory too. 

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorado.

The Privileged Planet Look

Comment:  This is a brief in support of a series on UFOs. The science briefs are intended to prepare readers for the series and establish the view from a rational perspective. The Privileged Planet speaks to the limits of science and how the cosmos were designed for human discovery. 

The Privileged Planet

The search for purpose in the universe. Guilermo Gonzalez, PhD and Jay Richards , PhD explore the cosmos and present the case that not only is life a statistical improbabilty off the Earth but they make the preposterous claim that right here on the planet Earth life is an improbability! But sentient and intelligent human life persists.  They go further and claim that the cosmos was designed for human discovery. 

In the works they present many fascinating concepts and demonstrate that the planet Earth is more than a speck of dust floating in the cosmic sea. The planet Earth seemingly is placed with precision and strategy.

The Privileged Planet lists many aspects of Earth that make it just right for life as we know it and therefore a special planet. Some of the findings and claims include:

1. The Earth is just the right distance from the Sun so that water can exist in its liquid state, which is vital for carbon-based life.  If the Earth was 5% closer, our atmosphere would be more like Venus with temperatures up to 900º F.  If it were 5% more distant, then it would be more like the frozen planet Mars.
2. The Moon stabilizes the Earth's axis, thereby giving us the seasons which are vital to life.
3. The atmosphere blocks gamma rays, UV rays, and x-rays.  The light that does penetrate is just what is needed for life.
4. If the Earth's Gravity were increased, then no life larger than a pea could exist.
5. Our solar system has large planets that shield Earth from comet impacts.
6. Earth occupies the right location in the galaxy.
7. Earth has a thin crust that allows plate tectonics.
8. Has oxygen in the atmosphere to support life.
9. The Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon and is also 400 times farther away.  This creates a total eclipse of the Sun where the Moon just covers the Sun.  In 1870, this was used to discover helium.  
10. In 1919, the eclipse was again used to verify Einstein's theory that the gravity from the Sun would bend light passing it.
11. The atmosphere is transparent, allowing us to view the stars and other planets.
12. Many scientific formulas describing the Universe and how it works are incredibly simple, making them easy to discover and understand.

While the argument is made about life in general being statisitical improbability, the argument is not about life in general but is about sentient and intelligent life placed in a universe designed for discovery. 

Reference:

Gonzalez, G. And Richardson, J. (2004). The privileged planet: how our place in the cosmos is designed for discovery. Regnery Publishing Company. USA.

Life on Other Planets CH 03

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Between Hollywood films and years of indoctrination in the naturalistic worldview have set to conditions for the public to believe the fairy tale that life is spread all over the heavens. Ross makes a call to suspend the assumptions of naturalism and to apply scientific method to the inquiry. These methods shine light on the UFO phenomenon.  The scientific method corrals the UFO mystery through the process of elimination in order to discover what gives rise to the UFO phenomenon. Applying the process of elimination gives rise to three questions:

1. The number of planets in the known universe
2. The probability that some planets have essential life support characteristics
3. The availability of planets where life may reside 

The discussion and investigation of this chapter focuses on these three questions.

Theories regarding the number of planets has migrated from those who thought every star had planets to those who believe that the Sun is a rarity as instruments, techniques, and theoeretical models improved.  Thus, solar system styled planets are not numerous at all. Nonetheless, scientists have found planets outside  our solar system.  These planets are either bathed in the deadliest radiation known in the universe or they are far more massive than Earth.

The measure of star capable of producing a planet to support life is a young metal rich star. Of the stars observed in the Milky Way that can produce an Earth-like planet, fewer than 2 percent are capable and 98 percent are too old or too metal poor. In fact, stars and solar systems that match our solar system becomes exceptional or rare.

Our solar system formed adjacent to a Type I and II supernova that arrayed and commingled their blast with various heavy metals in a nebula before collapsing into our Sun and solar system.  This unusual convergence of circumstances makes the candidates for life even smaller. In other galaxies star formations are older and contain no metal rich stars, hence, no planets. The hubble telescope confirmed that the probability of other planet systems around potential stars to extremely slim. In fact, it found nothing compared to mathematical models that predicted seventeen in 47 Tucanae star cluster.

The statistics in the end indicate are that less than a tenth of a percent of the stars in the cosmos have planets of any size or type and significantly smaller than earlier predictions. Now one must consider those suitable for life.

The only life form sustainable is carbon-based given the periodic table as determined by physicists Robert Dicke. This enabled scientists to organize a list of planetary characteristics necessary to support life.  The current list exceeds 140 parameters. In this list, parameters must fall into specific limits and interdependent ratios to avoid disrupting the planets ability to support life. This gives rise to zoning of the level of life and type possibilities.

1. Zone 1: Unicellar, low metabolism life that persists for brief periods
2. Zone 2: Unicellar, low metabolism life that persists for long periods
3. Zone 3: Unicellar, High metabolism life that persists for brief periods
4. Zone 4: Unicellar, High metabolism life that persists for long periods
5. Zone 5: Advanced, that persists for brief periods
6. Zone 6: Advanced, that persists for long periods

There are complicating factors to be discussed in the next posting.Computing the probability of of life based on the parameters turns out to be a statistical improbability leading many scientists to search for exotic life sites.

An exotic life site would be someplace out of the ordinary such as a moon, comet, or free floating planet. These, when examined, possess harsh environomental conditions that are hostile to carbon based life.  

Commentary:  Another book, The Privileged Panet, postulates the possibility of life elsewhere concluding an impossibility for life even here on Earth. Video Chapters of a Privileged Planet;  Book: The Privileged Planet

This completes the third chapter. I'll summarize chapter four in the next posting. From time-to-time, I may post a commentary section highlighting a specific point.

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky & little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorado.

Types of UFOs CH 02

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Types of UFOs 

Scientific dogma demands that legitimate researchers must approach the data in an organized manner with possible categories and hypotheses in mind. Respected scientist who are ufologists go about their investigation in a professional manner and are confronted with an enormous amount of data. Surveys are indicating that between 12 to 14% of the people polled have witnessed a UFO and about 50% believe that UFOs are more than people's imagination. One estimate during the 1970's placed UFO sightings globally at 100 a night. Another estimate based on a ratio of 1 report to every 10 sightings indicates that sightings are in the millions since 1947. The US Airforce under several projects investigated about 15,000 reports between 1948 and 1969. The scope of the phenomenon is global and spans all of history eventhough a large number of the reports have occurred since 1947.

The systems of classication vary due to the complexity, unusualness, and mystery that surround a individuals claim. At times the phenomena is so bizarre as to defy rational inquiry. Four specific difficulties persist in making a study of UFO phenomena from a ordinary scientific inquiry.

1. UFOs cannot be directly and thoroughly analyzed due to the elusive and distant nature of UFOs
2. UFOs are difficult to caterorize with no undisputed experts to verify the phenomenon
3. The evidence is comingled with religious and psychological experiences making it difficult to parse empircal data out
4. UFO phenomenon is sufficiently mysterious to invite a variety of interpretations

While there remains real difficulties investigating UFO phenomenon a standard has been set for responsible UFO research. There are useful classification systems in regular use today. The 1972 classification system follows:

Distant Sightings

1. Nocturnal Lights (NL)
2. Daylight Disks (DD)
3. Radar visuals (RV)

Close Encounters

1. Close Encounters of the First Kind (CE-1):  Sighting within 500 ft or less. Does not effect or interact with observer
2. Close Encounters of the Second Kind (CE-2): UFO causes physical effects on the environment
3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE-3): UFO occupants are witnessed without communication or contact at night by one or two people.
4. Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind (CE-4):  Direct contact occurs with UFO occupants involving abduction.
5. Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind (CE-5): Witnesses experience death or permanent physical injury.

While this system for evaluation is excellent an improvement was made which included the paranormal, other abnormal, and physical qualities of the UFO.

1. Anomaly AN(1-5): UFO Observance with accompanying abnormal phenomenon. ie poltergeists
2. Flyby FB(1-5): UFO observance flying in the sky
3. Maneuver MA(1-5): UFO observance that is discontinuous in the sky
4. Close Encounter CE(1-5): Same as the other scale

Given these scales UFOlogists can now begin to organize the data. Most UFO become identified with satisfactorily explanations except for extraterrestrial and supernatural events. The explanations fall into 8 categories.

1. Misidentified natural phenomenon
2. Misidentified Man-made Phenomenon
3. False Images in high-quality equipment
4. False images in faulty equipment
5. False images resulting from faulty human perception
6. Hoaxes, pranks, or fraud
7. Subjective causes
8. Combination of natural and human factors

With most of the reports explaned sufficiently well, there is a residual percentage, about 1%, that remains unexplained. These Residual UFOs, RUFOs, number in the tens of thousands. UFOlogist also also identify other world hypotheses; extraterrestrial and interdimensional. The RUFOs are the focus of most of the investigation into UFOs given the various categorizations.

The burden of proof for debunking RUFOs is not on the skeptics who advocate naturalistic causes but instead on those advocates of the supernormal or the extraordinary to prove their claims. Many other skeptics claim UFOs are a 'pathological science' not objective reality. There are some summarized objections that are necessary to review:

1. The presumption that all UFOs have naturalistic explanations is a prejudice gainst an honest attempt at the facts
2. Arguing extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence may be an unproven assumption
3. Many RUFOs resist a natural explanation after competent review
4. Assessing all UFO reports as misidentified natural phenomenon may be simple but may not fully acount for the facts

Honest inquiry raises two fundamental questions:

1. Has an objective, logical, and scientific analysis been made of the best evidence?
2. What kind of evidence is require to substantiate the reality of a UFO or what are the evidentiary demands?

Further explanation and investigation is necessary in order to determine the validity of claims and hypothesis made.

Commentary:  Evidence seems to indicate that since the age of mass and personal communications became possible the number of reports dramatically increased. Additionally, as radio and film matured in their imaginations and storytelling the UFO phenomenon dynamically increased in complexity and seemed to parallel the fictional depictions of UFOs and aliens.  Another thought may be that in the fog of the Cold War, the UFO phenomenon may have been exploited by both sides at the expense of societal sanity in efforts to leverage a warfighting advantage. For example, one side or the other obtained access to alien technology, ie area 51. Whether true or not the point is that UFOs may be the result of ourselves rather than the outcome of external circumstances, episodes, or phenomenon. A logical and rational approach is necessary as the universe is founded upon sound principles that are consistent and uniform.  The investigation into these matters was strengthened with the establishment of the classification categories.

This completes the second chapter. I'll summarize chapter three in the next posting. From time-to-time, I may post a commentary section highlighting a specific point.

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., and Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorado.

The UFO Craze CH 01

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

The UFO Craze

All throughout history people have reported the unusual and unexplainable. In many cases, what people observed was a natural phenomenon that was explainable only after advances in science made the explanation possible. Nonetheless, many people have insisted on flying anomalies throughout time.

The reports are both subjective and objective often coming in waves. An increase in activity began with the advent of human aviation. During WWII numerous reports were made by pilots on both sides of strange aircraft that paced their flights. Questions began to arise about the existence of life elsewhere than on Earth.

The Age of the Flying Saucer emerged precisely on June 24th of 1947. That is the moment when Kenneth Arnold, a credible witness, reported nine bright lights in the sky near Mt Rainier. Nearly 20 other people corroborated the event. The associated press carried the story and the age of the flying saucer had begun. Following this event and numerous others that followed America began its crazed obsession. The "Flying Saucer" was dubbed UFO's by the U.S. Military whose concern was that these were Soviet aircraft during the Cold War.  The military closed their investigation into UFO's in the late 1960's remarking there was no scientific value to gain.

During the 1970's and 1980's the phenomenon began associating UFO's to the paranormal, occult, and extraterrestrials. The close encounters began to surface more frequently and abductions took center stage. By the 1990's people began speculating about crashed spaceships and retrieved alien bodies. Also in the 1990's, a UFO cult became deadly when the Heaven's Gate Cult committed suicide.  

UFO's and alien creatures have not identified themself in an undeniable way. That sort of evidence is lacking in the UFO phenomenon.  UFO's have such an increasing ambiguous and complex definition that many researchers are now remarking "UFO phenomena" instead of saying UFO's which is suggestive of difficulty in grasping the issue. Specifically, six difficulties arise:

1. An adequate definition that combines logical, scientific, sociological, psychological, and religious assessments is missing.
2. It is a paradox to define an Unidentified Flying Object when it is still unidentified.
3. UFO phenomenon research is second hand based on subjective human reports creating difficulty in performing objective, scientific, and logical analysis.
4. UFO phenomenon are increasingly bizarre, causing previous definitions to be adjusted.
5. UFO definitions suffer from both vagueness and ambiguity because of the nature of UFOs.
6. UFO connotations have morphed from a simple object to spaceships having extra-terrestrials

Given these complexities people still dialogue intelligently about UFOs. Thus, the study of UFOs is a worth while pursuit.

There are about nine groups of people typcially interested in UFOs; Natural scientists, US Government Officials, Professional UFOlogists, social scientists, Popular UFO enthusiasts, UFO debunkers, New agers, UFO cult members, and Christian Theologians and Apologists. Lastly, there is the general populace that are fascinated by UFOs and may be served well by the discussion in this book.

Commentary: No remarks.

This completes the first chapter. I'll summarize chapter two in the next posting. From time-to-time, I may post a commentary section highlighting a specific point.

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., & Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky & little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorado.