6
i Dsqs D;'. Eyae&; oet. $, r97o Illntr yor. for i€lilng !o !*kt . look .t lbe sasug€r'ttG of. elslttet I qt your &ars beoh. Xr{ llka te l|{k6 r re; r1retd.|18 eoEo€it81 Just ae tlet eoltE to 6l,Id. Ie tbo &r3st cont?o?c?ry e:e! US itaflltiiloli tr flar lrll beYo to d.d* sl,th ,t folaoa, bocauee your dofthi*lns, LiF ar unst&i€d l-P49I[ l|suTPlory tbat t{Eiatattt tioalr llF ta eJre actnelLyr }Hd.Galty dltt€rcBt tbs)r ldeatlne|l once. tr 6r'!r!t trd.3 tg Ds tralEr but !.lre lot 6o!q t6 "!:"1 !S eEauallg L!. - iou haye-to grErt tEE tIelsfF np €a[clqsd.Y€ ev1dasoc tha$ Nrollsbla ef |nead ,alfilnso ainot le Jlrgt oxtrffib 1lf!6quemt u1€i.dotlt13eatloq6r Jo dolrt patr,"ty tb&t asenaptlon l,!to ynnr dtflrl"u.ou. ILlhotr6l &1reua.!l€ cond"dorrtlotts ara ot the utsget ldportelle€ 1! - f6eg6BlzL|Bg *!rue gltteir yoll s!..tar tl&t tDqc al"lota{rcor of courae r [rat D6 ra4o to! laeEcblo tlllrso;t lotl.oa o! a .t*tlooatlr f!g]t tla lbaolcs of E frqre ot -reforatcer. FDr iuch &tl6enlat Fot ottod? Hor larg€ ls ttro aY6!'*6t aiioralce to bo Eaabi got 1q!88 l,s the 6r:d'!u|? rlet !. tbo stalldaid dorrle|lon? (!or nueb eole llaqtlstt la tho avor.E€ ths! the rctdaur) ' Eatt'l tless qucEAloar ror b€ arsEg?edr youirc etandla* on 9or5r so8€lr 8tsuBd. Elq l'te! ot lelLable gb r.ltqGodsa coqplled ta r.e1v Lqpregsl'vst but do&tt golrf,uie rellalil,e sttL llfslubL. I|lgtoad ot sayt!6t i31I fretllg Coatlsllate Eaks no El.stekolr you slould be ssktnar nEon oft€tr €lautd I 3xlreet d! A1! a}Elf,Ls cqatrolrir te Eake a tstetekq?r AltbBgh v6 ollat obkoqslv d"trs Eore cr€derco tg 6sv9"&l tti|losags thsr. oltl.ll o&9t ti' "creae"ai itrrcuon' LEtrtt llnaa:r ri ta dr.ghf i]rlak. Ir8leai ttls prq]ab1t tos&rLtldle. geYetal vl tDoc€o6 tlo tsee the Eade thtag *re tl^kely to bo l:'l'6nda, haifns "luffar baqk6rular. By the tl!|e inve6ti8etola arr1"3' theyrv€ talkei qter tle exportonoa ao tborEugblt that dt\t dltfer€nltec 1[ p€lctpt ',4lr or tnterprctatioa -have beeu 4pgtbstl ou!. Alft donrt a.&a I't 6olr]td a6 lt i. *o"t '"ioou" botr€ett the wltne8asa beln8 o'faotly eorusctr or belEg qFeut llt unetabte, !,rone ts ciliy Jualgoqentar or ho{zte!!t. tlre aot iha' o!€ar'ent' fve.|N r lislly r€l.ltble FtlBoaa ,l&he6 a6rlsue errErs qcc{retoaau'y. tt lg noEt urlfoltqnats that ysu ].gok dsrd irloE ntbe su8bena S6'it fo! alettstlca-I, Flooedutsa are a€coesal.J| she4evea any €1n81e"1t9!i say be l.!€ i$or, but ri 8re lsp&*lg tor getreral trerda. - Iour. gtqstical- pfoe€duta6 ana- colls'to b€ Hghly d161€&dLr8 ualese 3rou trt to gatbor Blt dI ItF tp- relortsd in a €twa l-!!9 l4terYal (ln"luilina tle obvloua ottoa ot- u€aue ea'r alrtruan", t a"a--tF t" detelnl.no t!6 rqtto ol rse*t - tr?F 6es{'e.lo lle iraa\v ?tto" -- n i-6r. trot 8L! uoisc fas a s etral' burie{- llater Lt' $uppos€ t!4t s! dlo Jtronor}i hb Fa outBlde to Esaelrre lhe anguler dlsaotq ot tle dooa' rio.i oi-taur 6it about Jo' fot thsLt sleaauroaentr bnt a. 6ron?-of tboe ;il.;ts';;c; ntguy r-eltaute, 6€tt &+ dogr€es. Do te oqEcLnde taet f,or e tg.el -aiient tle ioei pl'ul6pd lotald the eartlr reaapas ore-a!-Btl lts oot-sf af.*,,*"e, ald tlsn iuoped baek a6&iB? no'-aa-look at tbe o?6Fal1 pLiiure. uro.re aal' atagle noaourcnoa! EAy bo ELsloading' on tbo Fhole. i. s"t " corrEct -Flctur€' rle sqlqo td,n8 goea Edth g!0t8t ta a:1 Pngbabtuit' A itr obserttatlone qsy be E 6l'€adln6" uui froa exstltlng tbe w&olet rc Eet & noro prcportioaod }d.ature.

The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

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Page 1: The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

i

Dsqs D;'. Eyae&;

oet. $, r97o

Illntr yor. for i€lilng !o !*kt . look .t lbe sasug€r'ttG of. elslttet Iqt your &ars beoh. Xr{ llka te l|{k6 r re; r1retd.|18 eoEo€it81 Just ae tleteoltE to 6l,Id.

Ie tbo &r3st cont?o?c?ry e:e! US itaflltiiloli tr flar lrll beYo to d.d*sl,th ,t folaoa, bocauee your dofthi*lns, LiF ar unst&i€d l-P49I[ l|suTPlorytbat t{Eiatattt tioalr llF ta eJre actnelLyr }Hd.Galty dltt€rcBt tbs)r ldeatlne|lonce. tr 6r'!r!t trd.3 tg Ds tralEr but !.lre lot 6o!q t6

"!:"1 !S eEauallg L!. -iou haye-to grErt tEE tIelsfF np €a[clqsd.Y€ ev1dasoc tha$ Nrollsbla ef |nead

,alfilnso ainot le Jlrgt oxtrffib 1lf!6quemt u1€i.dotlt13eatloq6r Jo dolrtpatr,"ty tb&t asenaptlon l,!to ynnr dtflrl"u.ou.

ILlhotr6l &1reua.!l€ cond"dorrtlotts ara ot the utsget ldportelle€ 1! -

f6eg6BlzL|Bg *!rue gltteir yoll s!..tar tl&t tDqc al"lota{rcor of courae r [rat D6ra4o to! laeEcblo tlllrso;t lotl.oa o! a .t*tlooatlr f!g]t tla lbaolcs of Efrqre ot -reforatcer. FDr iuch &tl6enlat Fot ottod? Hor larg€ ls ttro aY6!'*6taiioralce to bo Eaabi got 1q!88 l,s the 6r:d'!u|? rlet !. tbo stalldaid dorrle|lon?(!or nueb eole llaqtlstt la tho avor.E€ ths! the rctdaur) ' Eatt'l tlessqucEAloar ror b€ arsEg?edr youirc etandla* on 9or5r so8€lr 8tsuBd.

Elq l'te! ot lelLable gb r.ltqGodsa coqplled ta r.e1v Lqpregsl'vst butdo&tt golrf,uie rellalil,e sttL llfslubL. I|lgtoad ot sayt!6t i31I fretllgCoatlsllate Eaks no El.stekolr you slould be ssktnar nEon oft€tr €lautd I3xlreet d! A1! a}Elf,Ls cqatrolrir te Eake a tstetekq?r AltbBgh v6 ollatobkoqslv d"trs Eore cr€derco tg 6sv9"&l tti|losags thsr. oltl.ll o&9t ti'"creae"ai itrrcuon' LEtrtt llnaa:r ri ta dr.ghf i]rlak. Ir8leai ttls prq]ab1ttos&rLtldle. geYetal vl tDoc€o6 tlo tsee the Eade thtag *re tl^kely to bo l:'l'6nda,haifns "luffar baqk6rular. By the tl!|e inve6ti8etola arr1"3' theyrv€talkei qter tle exportonoa ao tborEugblt that dt\t dltfer€nltec 1[ p€lctpt ',4lror tnterprctatioa -have beeu 4pgtbstl ou!. Alft donrt a.&a I't 6olr]td a6 lti. *o"t '"ioou" botr€ett the wltne8asa beln8 o'faotly eorusctr or belEg qFeut lltunetabte, !,rone ts ciliy Jualgoqentar or ho{zte!!t. tlre aot iha' o!€ar'ent'fve.|N r lislly r€l.ltble FtlBoaa ,l&he6 a6rlsue errErs qcc{retoaau'y.

tt lg noEt urlfoltqnats that ysu ].gok dsrd irloE ntbe su8bena S6'it fo!alettstlca-I, Flooedutsa are a€coesal.J| she4evea any €1n81e"1t9!i say be l.!€i$or, but ri 8re lsp&*lg tor getreral trerda.

- Iour. gtqstical- pfoe€duta6 ana-

colls'to b€ Hghly d161€&dLr8 ualese 3rou trt to gatbor Blt dI ItF tp- relortsdin a €twa l-!!9 l4terYal (ln"luilina tle obvloua ottoa ot- u€aue ea'r alrtruan", ta"a--tF t" detelnl.no t!6 rqtto ol rse*t

- tr?F 6es{'e.lo lle iraa\v ?tto" --

n i-6r. trot 8L! uoisc fas a s etral' burie{- llater Lt' $uppos€ t!4t s! dloJtronor}i hb Fa outBlde to Esaelrre lhe anguler dlsaotq ot tle dooa'rio.i oi-taur 6it about Jo' fot thsLt sleaauroaentr bnt a. 6ron?-of tboe;il.;ts';;c; ntguy r-eltaute, 6€tt &+ dogr€es. Do te oqEcLnde taet f,or etg.el -aiient tle ioei pl'ul6pd lotald the eartlr reaapas ore-a!-Btl ltsoot-sf af.*,,*"e, ald tlsn iuoped baek a6&iB? no'-aa-look at tbe o?6Fal1pLiiure. uro.re aal' atagle noaourcnoa! EAy bo ELsloading' on tbo Fhole.i. s"t " corrEct

-Flctur€' rle sqlqo td,n8 goea Edth g!0t8t ta a:1 Pngbabtuit'A itr obserttatlone qsy be E 6l'€adln6" uui froa exstltlng tbe w&olet rc Eet

& noro prcportioaod }d.ature.

Robert Sheaffer
Note
When I was at Northwestern, Hynek was finishing up his first UFO book. It became "The UFO Experience," a book famous for creating the three different kinds of "close encounters." Hynek had been sending the manuscript around to his UFOlogical colleagues, like Jacques Vallee and Fred Beckmann. Once while we were discussing matters UFOlogical, Hynek offered to let me read one chapter, Chapter 8 ("Close Encounters of the First Kind"). This three-page letter is my response to that chapter, one leading the the inclusion of a note in his book (see final page). Following this is Hynek's response, then Klass' commentary on my letter, and finally the note Hynek inserted in his book.
Page 2: The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

!,agr g.

tr!:! Eoutil conotltuto a rrs.I Job ot lhYestl8a*,oE4 Il a sltneastell! yorl q}1 he hnola, !rhe! Eoae cEl bo dl.al sbout lg? Ss 6ust bE serelullrot to tfr8tr ihe t'!!!s6e tof lnfo$rat6'ta' 46. i!.ttr.tlo lastest taf to tAilarqeuriElia Lato tle ayet€a. If t6 bavc 4q6 d'.looi tl{tsLo&l .vldsue€ I!nn:' gtvea qeior out SglX j.nfeixaetlo!! coleg ftrsa ?b€ $ltBesees. 3a bs! dtre- go olout as'Later;6-tnvootta&tt onl Oo nottrst)Ea$r& :s01 forEat !!at ttcreasoc qedlsvaX vltch-coafcssttets 16t.6 {lustly 6.0 esnd,steet 18 thst ilq|*.f6tc sl: eatrcd t!.€ sslBe qrraetloatr ont ot tl€ €dsg f,I.t€|rbutrlefta l!s[url.,q ygn Foc sLt tlgbt hefysn 1t u& rLt&Gcses lcro &ltbj€atsd to & lsn8tllttl.ldrLa(t.oar tg ..1d thalr tolror{,ott' t €s! cxpl*1B cech ol tl3 €a.tta8 yoB troto otr qrlallttgivoltr ! t I ll,oult€ eErs yqu Foul.{trrt be sattE.ti€d rltl fiY sGrpl6dqgLonr' gc tBstoad ltttic put trelio UBL-€n$ra' )4Al-f o*ess tt trau' tq s€o 1! yotl €na 85va s6sii,8t&story e*p1alatlq4 3or 3,ae| of tbt|l.tr Thousalds of ]stLobl4 !,€rsortr Lleludlng ltlllt arr colrltl ot no116ad qai!itt bB et lte ngl€n8, 9tt|ts;sqa albortus HiStue t':![ tLnigr t' t€ a&34er lotra etterrooa on hl,i eai{ts la 06tqan!r 1& tlo tH"rteo[tl teatult.!. fro ilolsrna F€rttsa rl tloestd s d6$! flytns abqut r soFeer€r a! l|lt-.:ecutLoal and air !t Dat a tL€ gaUor€ al,|rho' sitl . €on,td sf tlunisr'.!'Jrso8er, FratroG, Altrtl 2\. LGJ0.

5. tr! Brtsar, Poldd. e b*td'liah (r $l{lE€Lr'ha qergalt L6ia&ed 3ror| a horr'liE. rfore binatl la'a dtadlr xpr.6o!) kLllld sEvoral DorEo!! tn tbc beE r6ltoi-ia ofd b{rftdlttE. !h creatqro ra! !.Eovtd froB the bulld,.ng I'n fufr vlcrct oY.r i"o thene&td l|argsns. (15St)

A- E&rlv letl8btra rltaaasaa affi,lt that tb6t ba"s rses ibaSoEa. Olre tas k..llG6i c u-cater aGrt nore on oet. €9r f66O. It flre a foareero ttngod b6..t'

5i frrrc SqLooE ,*n tsets 3 trcsttaa ts 1680 !{Il!ls ot asv€r.l 3c'.l'a!ilorl,t&aa6e8 !!o k{vc ae*i tatt}6 t! slo3l oBcgulllole.

6' flc Aroes nDar8o! ot trdtol.llr !asa{ a€ttia, tl!!r t}tega a?oulal lorllry nsnt|r. It tee rltlr46sra !U t|rnGlsab ot ltcrqqasr sBd afftetcd aatiela.&6l,a|!d' 1,56tr.

?. EtXzabetl SiLl. l5r sre ues beiiitehcd lt !:],l.rabetl' gttle-' ua6 aeen by;rtslal rolt a}ls *i lagsaeg to r'r.so , ot 4 leot out of lor chalF. gtoko?r&6!rr', Soirrset, 166i.

8. FloreaeQ gcttan b4rltslsd a €,.!1 tlo beBRE to ptrodl'8togsly l,uql'g -pf ir-astk. aag tood {n tL€ grseoBss tl slt[ss8os. fho Blbl€ rraa ]utlqd lr'a! thrtslrii,; l"Bdr. TL. Fltc!-dLd prod!-doua fo.tt ta Pt{elr. fh6 docutqntatlolfor thl-s ca-6€ lD th€ court' af colkt 1! 1551 16 tar !ror' -coEplqte arii.ut s€ellablo that fon 6,Dv it$ caqo I hase aB! h€.d of. Haay prohllelt Foorer-c"r gxtenaee pett"od tftn€seed t!1r lneredlble dl'sptat ot aup€larqgqtql'!6ltall|

9. In 1665 * sqcoriqlibt:'o rl.tel !{rcrt,Inli!a[ 06t dt'd laposetble feaga belo:oh!a".om, i:!€: ta a '.rLndolr end stfoatod sde{8 !0 16r F!'6GDG!'

lO. Otet a|€trtf tt,lciea hed eee&sld iL€ cbtldtelr lttto dtabolls Ltl ltoltilsi6eel, !'6?0. tlq e*Lldtst aL! &fd hl'6!ld eoDsLeteBt stlttes' doscdbsiltle Uack 6ass !E &t€61 do?atl.

Page 3: The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

tr.rge f .

1I. .0E,. fook€r, chaplsf! to ques& e8.sabsth I, End Etllte qlouor, tk6qu€elr€ Eur€co!, bgth et.rsDrly aff,irs thg cur€g tro:&€d bt lho q]oea btrtsuc&iD$ her subjectsr h4 tE. E6 you klrots, tousbias ure ;over.t eE could. culonany rx.nsesser M6,4r thousdtds gt pgrson$ so!6 curod tsJr l'artruE L,lnge aadq[eeaa aB tht6 eea$.€r.

1:, Let ee 1uap toEether tb.6 ,leey, !a$Ur tbo{eandG o.f al-racles atfl}tlad byCaibol*cis, eaclr, on* aa apBara4i vl,olatioE et s€lorilllr laEa. $1rl.l,.€@e pere

{6€8- 9r1{ tE e ltdvele6Ed ges, oth€re hcve boen vl,tnas€sa lElthqlr€a$d€ of, fetrl.abls vltqe8ees, ellcb as the t2tFacle a! tattsa tn lg1?:

Sgs I fealiy dortt expact you to birt tbeas tse&?6 €tor*.oa. I detrtballov€ ,:rsy o.f, ibsF. FEt you Bust b€ 6o!4d,stoat Lb your p)rBl8L€eg. If ycub.lr €"e UIO taLecL oE the EoLglt of t6etloo$' of uaproparea srlta€€$ga,t:lljsr bt_ earptds6 br a stt&lrge phoBoaonon, tou BuFt be equul,ly roadJ.'ta app$this cral6sdon oleelrlero. Of sourse, tbe6? w{ tnese€F a:,s

-dead so thiy qela'r! -)e tato:rLssed, but aai$r reetre intervter€d i-n tbslr llfetiile hr {rlveeitgalot1glexact*r as yon a-re doL'lg. fh€sE lbyesdg6tals Eetr€ earefu: to pclnt outth* vul8ar at6l",'s6 er6 n6t to be ,&&ei: csreL{erad, qallr lbe caretr!teati,eoqt qt 961*able perEoDa do8€r{.blh& rooorrt sxperloacoE.

5o you !a!.? aceo$f l,(5utr preaBnt Lnreetj.s&itys ieckld.ql|6a, as.d s$,11rolect ed"tshsr&fl out of h€nai. Oaleos yor €cdl c(&e up sllk 606; reeuyeubstrait&l }{ra8on shf gFra are so$ehes aEEk beiie? sl tEsdega 1n th!;Sentury tbqn o!h6r phetoeena tn cebiurt€E tsst, you bav6 e cbsLge in eltherEl19!.tn6 se ha?a tfr$ljr ost&bltah6{ lt}!rF, atrac}esr ptte&ear deitrcrghoats, etcry or elag N!4a GvLdetco EnpFoltfng sadh 9g tholll lq in€uff1c!.obt.But be ca&.l,etettl

U+

Page 4: The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Inter-Oft ce Correspondence

To Bob Schaeffer

DarE October 29, 1970

rRou J. A1len liynek, chairnlan

DEp^RrMENr Astronomy

Sincerely yours,

Dear Bob,

Thanks for your review of my chapter. Honever, \,/e have a funda-mental difference of vieirpoint. T sitrtply an not interested in studyingnoise and am willing to 1el sociologists worry about how nany people mis-take Vealls for sonething else.

I do not believe that the statislical approach is valid in thisproblem, unless of course you \,/ant to study noise. I do not assume, as youdo, ahal sightings made by highly competerl witnesses represent the tailend of ttre distribulion curve of nisperceplions, The limits of mispercep-tion have not been established, and f imagine they are a rathe. cornplexfunction of personality and numbers of observers. That assumplion ernascu-lates and makes senseless any further wor:k on the subject.

Perhaps I should restate the objectives of my book. like MadaneCu::ie, f am ou! to sludy "radium," not mounlains of I'pitchblende.rr If lheradiun does not exist, then no anoun! of distillation of the pitchblendeiril1 produce it. If honever one operates on the assumption lhat the radiun,lhough infinitesinally snLa1l, lnay indeed exist, then one does nol statisli-cally study the pitchblende but rather extr.acts from il ahe active ingredie$tand very properly throws the rest of the pitchblende in lhe dunp. This isthe problem as I conceive it. I am examining !b4! residue of the pitchblendewhich no!,r shows lhe greatest ptomise of yieldlng radiur, so to speak. So,under your assrmpiioni any serious study of lhe UFO subjecl is cleatly awaste of time, unless you do wanl to study distribution curves \,'hich clearlydo not interest me. 0n the other hand, your asstltrrption certainly needslesting, and in order to accomplish that you should do some !,7ork to supportit by factsj otherinise you are nerely left holdirg a baggy assumption. Theincontravertible fact remains that I have read and studied thousands ofreports, and interrogated hundreds of wilnesses while you are sti11 operatingin the reaLn of theory. I do hope tha! you do considerable LTork to establishyour assutrrprions because if it can be established, you will have done con-siderable servtce, and I will be the first lo congraaulate you. The problenhere is certainly one of residues; elther these residues belong to the saneuniverse as do misperceptioos, or they are different. We sha11 never: knownhich is the case Llnless we \,7ork to find out.

/4/A

Page 5: The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

PHILIP J. KLASS560 "N', SrFEEr.9. W.

wasBrNcroN- D. c. 20024

Novenber 29. 1970

Dear Bob:

Having spent aI1 day, fion early this norning until flow (ddnight), writing, itlte!-viewing, etc. the flext j.ssue of ny Coope?ative A?t. newspaper, I an too weary to dis-cuss nole than your recent couespondence and exchange with J. Al1en H. about his book.

Clear1y, i.f one rere to give your letter and Hfnekrs teply to a wise o1d nan andsay that one of the authors l1las a PhD in scielce of sone years and the other v{as ayoung student--and ask the sage to identify vhich was h'hich, he uould very quicklyconclude that Sheaffer ras the wise professor a'ld Hfnek $as the naive student.

But if he llere a truly wise, super-$ise sage, he would correctly identify you asthe student. For he ould lecognize that otrly youth would attenpt to chalge anothertsbasic conndtment arld long-he1d views in a single letter. For youth thinks that theviews of anothe!, silce they theoreticalty can be changed i.n a split second, ooght tobe capable of change in at least a few nonents or ninutes. But ln fact, changing aPexsonts deeply held convictions can take a lifetine--without success--al1d tecognitionof this cofies only with age and naturity--and bittel experience.

In reality, of course, Itfnek i his deep seated egotisrn, could never publ.icly ad$itso gross an erlor in judgmelt as you seek to force him to adruit. And in fact, whelreverANYoNE gives you a paper, ar:tic1e, nanuscript--whateve"--and erhe'lever he nodestly says:trlrn rea11y NOT nuch of a lrriter and I seek your conmeats"--what he REALLY IS ASXINGFoR is your PRAlSE--not yout criticisn.

I have uorked with engiteers and scielltists who vo].unteered that they uef,e terriblewriters, hated to write...and afte" our intefiiew, if I chanced to show then ny atticle,invariabl). they {ould suggest adding, o! deletiag a comna, or changing a sentetcestlucture. The fact is that !rhe[ we get ou! ideas down on paper--they becone even lesssusceptible to change than when they are sonewhat fluid in ou" heads.

So what Hfnek aea1ly wanted fron you was: 'rD!. Hynek, that is superb. Your logicls unassailable and your style is inpeccable." Then, to show that you had really readit rrcritically,l you ndght have added: r'However, there is one place where I think youshould heve used rthat' instead of'rihich'." (Since eve?yone ntakes that kind of nistake,he could freely have conceded that he was never very good in gr.arlloar. And he wouldhave narked you as a very petceptive young nan with a keen logical nlind, Iflstead,today, I'n suxe that llynek is convinced that your thinking is really quite fuzzy.)

lncidentally, if it is not too late, perhaps you could suggest a better title forhi.s book: IALLEN IN WoNDERLANDTI

lrihen one engages ln intellectual debate, one rea1ly ought to choose oners objective,If you desire to change the othe! guys viorr'point, you nust be willing to settle for asmall increnent of charge--initial1y. If, on the other hand, you want to confront hin,enbatass hi.n, or bait hin (as I so often do with 02), then use the rlo holds barredapproach, Now ohile you approached fvnek diplonatj-cally (wher:e I respond to 02 withthe Eross exagerations he loves to use), still to have accepted your criticisn wouldhave forced li)rek to bTeal'rith his public stance for the past 5 years o! so on UFos.And to admit that one of his students had seen the light before he had. This was toonuch to ask or hope fo!. But out of thls, hopefully, you have gained sorne usefulinsight into the irnnobility of tianrs vie}rpoint,

Regard

Page 6: The Debunker's Domain, by Robert Sheaffer. Skeptical

26 The AFO Earyience

erallv is so sbocked anil suPrilEd that careful sequenrial otF

iiiit** *a-t p..ttg "* i$possibla Tbe skillfir! interrc'

;Jif #,:i:f :"f .,f_t#,,xfl,S",:'ffi i"TtiJ"it"rta-*i-p*pi" taced'witn witressiog a suddeo and

il."'fii "oi.."uir" u""ideot do Dot go about metodic'Ily

l"i?ru*.it*"t*,' "tecking tises' dutations' ledgth o-f

il-iE i, "oooit"o

i't tlu s€atber' ad dher related evi-

i'"'iJT.#"*, it .*uite th€ inodeot to a competent -tr-

;J;";i;; ill;,* "* dAuco aoo extract r'brcugh calm

Ja"rlit.r, q"J"";rg "

surprisrig amomt of in-tordatton

from ihe wrtness.-"6'"-.t"r"l u.w n-equ"ltly ak forco 'hvesdga@rs' io-

bo# *;-.i-t6-.m-"ra pniotoPlv that LrFOs are delusiocs'

#; ;*";*tf*"t"tv inrcirogatiotr (whv spend ttu:le oo**t.,uti G" i,t t.""itg)ess in dre Erst plac€?)'

"-itiu rf*i ",,lst

upoielorts that ato cobeftnt' sequeF

tiJ"J.utt. uoott"ts "t these strange humal expenences'

iiJ" -#"*"

in"t" n* been !o Decbanisn for brilling"d"""" 1"** ,o g*".4 attmtjon, r!€y re€o: to bo far t'oo

l#iriJii''ti Lfi*;. m"v dotr\ 6t tte. established ro'1-

l"i""ii" "*-t a ^odem

phvsical scjef,c€ lt is about

;:";ffiffi; p*;;;"'I into a "b€lief ftam€work" and ac-

^--r . !,^{ ^f tlFO reDorts as baimg uescdbed acrual

*Lr. *, Li.*t-pt"' ii woulil bavo b€m for Ne$4oo to

il"""iJlt"a tto ia.sic cotc"pts ot quan$m mechalics""'v"irt"'"i-*"""*

"l uFo repons do€s fal into fairlv

a"drirc p"n.t"]ru ' tttangeffss-spread" of LrFo tepo(s

iJitl IJ."i. w" a' 'ot'

ior instanct' reteivo teports o{

,r'1"'ir*. "* Av*g op*& dows' Un;deotided Sailing Ob'

Hil"iii-t" l,u["i tlat burrow ioto tbe srouD&

'*iJt" "r?" wo

"cetre onc€ remarked' ' ' unex:

"#; Uil; do trol cot$titubo evideoco in favor o[

'f..T,*g:+mYtffi,s-::W**f"i *ti"""r, "rt"* sy,a pin! elephants" fft?r be€n report-

-il"i "i"uu, *';i ot straoge "ctaft ' has t uFos in-

i'*J*."0i.*,! .t $e ioagin;doo it is srange tbat ibe

On thz Str.mseness of UFO Reports 27

imaginatiods ot thos€ who rQort UFOS frcd over the

world should be so restricted.Pre.isely becaose the spectum of reports of strange

biendnss is oarrow can fiey be "tudied II each stxange re.

pon.as unique and tlclr -olal;ry ran l}e gamul of all coo-

ceivabte straDAe ac!-ount', *ien 6c in\esligation of sucb a

chaodc panopiy !r'ould be i-mpos'ible. Scienlr-8c study pre-

suoposei data partcrn" and a meruu-re of repeatabiliry, and

liana tarqe, Ul-o repo4s lend'hemselves to cla-esi-6caticm

;tbin their doDains ot srrangeoess lt rs these wo shall

Turoirq, tben, lo the co, r? ol UfO repons let us as'.u-e thai we have elinindted all tho€e rcporls wbjch do

rct ft rhe dennition of UFO as used earlier; that is, the

drcss from the odgin:l mass of "mw'' reports-al leporlsthax cdr be explained with good reasotr ac ballooos' ait_qaft, meteo{N, etc. (Such reports rcFesent tle "gaxbage"in the Droblem. u er'e incarporaF ihat in our sE]dies, lbe

compuiemge adage. Carh"ge in-garbage out," wi sure-

ly apply. This bas beetr tbe trap that UtO i.o\'estjgadons itrthe Dasthav€ not b€en able to avoid.*)

In terms of scietrdic atudy, the only sigtrmcanl UFO re'oorts axe. as wo llave seen, IJFO reports that remain Puz_;liaa altct corrpeteor'urvestigrlioo has beetr cooducl€d.Onl-v tbele calt be temed repon, of u FOs. The stimulusfor these Eports js tnrly unkno$rl-that is, the repofercbavo oassed a r€liabilily sc'feening. and rhe known Possiblestimuii have paised a phycical e\planadon slt€€nin&Thotlsatrds of such reporb .lt!l; Ihere are ahout 700 a(_

kno*ledsed case,s itr Blue Book 61es alone, and many oth-ers are c6ntahed in the files of UFO organiatioB and Pri-vate ifl€sagatols.

Each such scre€ftd report demands an ans\tet to two*Mmr o.iti.g 4inlain $di.ll UFO lepor13 do saftaga Sinca.

l:rce mrdotr oI !t@ odsidal. urLmFFd relotu 56 cledtv de edt oJ

ni-;*pdo!, criu6,t) rhar n.6' g.riod in d€?rh wodd toEal rbal,r'.'-tit! tav of U?O lb.notrna 'e be "o.hde6iad su'h.-g',.-Lt *i"io tt"t

"tl i-no reFd\ Del6d.e to de sM. sladsri'al

m;dltion md Lba! tno detEL, lne ruly r r bti!.g LrFO 'eporl: doi..,ar .*** ir !ha' porurJrioo on. misi wirh equtl jnsLj@

'av$hi e pb$rA rhe wittio. a td or rrMse' tbil@relr__tbe kJ @d.t de dissibu oo .u.. of rbe 'i7* of o'anEe'

Robert Sheaffer
Note
And this is the comment that Hynek obviously added as a note in Chapter 4 after the text had been finalized, to answer my uncredited comments: "Many critics maintain that all UFO reports are garbage. Since a large portion of the original, unfiltered reports are clearly the result of misperception, critics say that investigation in depth would reveal that the entire body of UFO phenomena can be so characterized. Such arguments assume that all UFO reports belong to the same statistical population and that the deviants, the truly interesting UFO reports, are merely extremes in that population. One might with equal justice say while plotting the variation in sizes of oranges that watermelons are merely the tail end of the distribution curve of the sizes of oranges." One might indeed say that, but when one does not know whether the watermelons are a distinct category from the oranges, one cannot exclude the possibility that they are measurement errors of oranges.