Skepticism about Selected Paranormal Events
and Why Some Believe We Are Not Alone
ABSTRACT
There is no evidence established so far that proves conclusively that
humanity either is or is not alone in the universe. An estimated 548 to
701 unexplained cases, that could potentially say otherwise, either
have not been investigated at all or have been fiivolously dismissed,
even though explanations based on natural phenomena have not
easily explained important case-by-case details. All unexplained
cases do not necessarily mean either the existence o f an alien being
or an alien technology connection. Such cases will need to be decided
with more research. This is especially needed since a review o f two
key government investigations by qualified experts and scientists
found: (1) the presence o f seriously misleading explanations in key
reports, (2) flaws in the scientific methodology o f reports such as the
Condon Rq)ort and Project Blue Book, and (3) predispositional
thinking on the part o f scientists charged with finding the truth. Such
findings create uncertainty about the trustworthiness o f those reports
as the final word on UFOs and alien-related phenomena. In spite o f
existing skepticism, this paper illustrates why the truth must be built
on trustworthy information and not resolved with either the use o f
theory-dependent hypotheses or the use o f faulty definitions guiding
any supposedly scientific effort. The search for extraterrestrial life
has been pursued on the premise that if such life exists, it must either
respond to radio signals or it must be detectable by tests or processes
developed fo r such purposes. This search has created the hope that
an acceptable answer will be found, even as movies and books on the
fringes o f science say otherwise. Skepticism, therefore, has
apparently grown from the fertile soil o f both genuine scientific
pursuits and fantasy entertainment. This paper underscores the need
fo r testable and reliable evidence needed to answer the question o f
whether or not humanity is alone in the universe.
Over the years, a spectrum of ideas about humanity in relation to the
universe has come from the works of scientists, science fiction writers, and
writers of science-related popular culture. For example, the Drake Equation, the
space program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),
and the “hard science” search for extraterrestrials at the Search for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) are a few well-known examples of
how serious people are attempting to contribute to our understanding of
humanity in relation to the universe. As in the case of books, television serials.