UFOs - Leslie Kean [8]
It follows, therefore, that the often asked question “Do you believe in UFOs?” is actually baseless, but it’s frequently asked and creates endless problems in communication. It really doesn’t make sense, because we know that unidentified objects exist, officially documented and defined as such by the U.S. Air Force and other government bodies around the world. For over fifty years, the reality of unidentified flying objects has not been a question of belief or a matter of faith, opinion, or choice. Rather, when using the correct definition of UFO, it is a matter of fact. Like conventional identified objects—such as aircraft, missiles, and other types of man-made equipment—these unidentifieds can also be photographed, create radar returns, leave marks on the ground, and be observed and described by multiple independent witnesses at separate locations. In terms of belief, the questioner is really asking, “Do you believe in alien spaceships?” That is an entirely different question.
To approach UFOs rationally, we must maintain the agnostic position regarding their nature or origin, because we simply don’t know the answers yet. By being agnostics, we are taking a giant step forward. So often, the UFO debate fuels two polarities, both representing untenable positions. On one side, the “believers” proclaim that extraterrestrials have arrived from outer space and that we already know that UFOs are alien vehicles, and on the other, the “debunkers” argue with aggressive defensiveness that UFOs don’t exist at all. This counterproductive battle has unfortunately dominated public discourse for a long time, only heightening confusion and creating more distance from the scientific—the agnostic—approach.
Principled skepticism is the foundational premise of this book. Astrophysicist Bernard Haisch, former science editor for The Astrophysical Journal and The Journal of Scientific Exploration, defines a true skeptic as “one who practices the method of suspended judgment, engages in rational and dispassionate reasoning as exemplified by the scientific method, shows willingness to consider alternative explanations without prejudice based on prior beliefs, and who seeks out evidence and carefully scrutinizes its validity.” I invite you to look at the material presented here from the perspective of an agnostic—objectively, with an open and truly skeptical mind.
Now we can begin a fascinating journey. I will present some of the most powerful material that so profoundly impacted me during my own process of exploration and discovery. During that process, the other writers and I ask the reader to consider the veracity of the following points, to be revisited at the end of book, which I have distilled from my ten years of looking into the UFO subject. These five premises are thoroughly evaluated and illustrated by the evidence throughout the volume:
(1) There exists in our skies, worldwide, a solid, physical phenomenon that appears to be under intelligent control and is capable of speeds, maneuverability, and luminosity beyond current known technology.
(2) UFO incursions, often in restricted airspace, can cause aviation safety hazards and raise national security concerns, even though the objects have not demonstrated overtly hostile acts.
(3) The U.S. government routinely ignores UFOs and, when pressed, issues false explanations. Its indifference and/or dismissals are irresponsible, disrespectful to credible, often expert witnesses, and potentially dangerous.
(4) The hypothesis that UFOs are of extraterrestrial or interdimensional origin is a rational one and must be taken into account, given the data we have. However, the actual origin and nature of UFOs have not yet been determined by scientists, and remain unknown.
(5) Given its potential implications, the evidence calls for systematic