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Skeptics Attack Bug-Eyed Monsters from Space!

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Skeptics Attack Bug-Eyed Monsters from Space! BOOK REVIEWS Skeptics Attack Bug-eyed Monsters from Space! PETER HUSTON The UFO Invasion: The Roswell Incident, Alien Abductions, and Government Coverups. Edited by Kendrick Frazicr, Barry Karr and Joe Nickell. Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York 1997. ISBN 1-57392-131-9. 315 pp. Hardcover, $25.95. ometimes a book reviewer's job is ment personnel keep their camera in appallingly simple. Since this book focus at the important parts?). It's inter- contains reprints of some of the esting to speculate about the motives of S the skeptical investigators. But then best SKEPTICAL INQUIRER articles about UFOs, if you like this magazine, and are again, speaking from experience, the interested in UFO claims, then you will bottom line is that reading about strange like this book. If you don't like this mag- claims is fun. And looking into them in azine (but perversely read it anyway), detail, a.k.a. investigating them, is often then, naturally, you won't like this book more fun than simply reading about (but might read it anyway, I suppose). them, as well as an interesting mental No favoritism there, I hope. Yet even challenge. And, finally, when all is said rabid UFO believers and other antiskep¬ and done, it's my firm belief that the tics should find this book of value, as it skeptics often simply produce better contains a good, single-volume collec- grounded results, more able to stand up tion of some of the most important to long-term criticism than that of many skeptical writings produced on this sub- believers, who, instead, opt for easily dis- ject to date. proves much more fanciful theories involving space visitors and giant con- Essays are grouped into the following spiracies. Besides, inevitably, the facts are categories: The UFO Enigma (a general more interesting than such fiction, and introduction and overview); The Crash many very talented people have put into such research does indeed inevitably at Roswell; Roswell and the "Alien investigating the entire realm of UFO touch on many fascinating subjects.1 Autopsy"; Other UFO Cases (mostly claims despite long ago having come to explanations of some sightings of flying The last section primarily concerns the conclusion that it was quite unlikely, objects); Alien Abductions; Crop SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial to say the least, that UFOs were objects Circles; and Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Intelligence) and the possibility of alien of much significance. Contributors include Robert Baker, intelligence. As UFOs and extraterres- Page after page, we have reports of Robert Bartholomew, Robyn M. Dawes, trial intelligence are intertwined in highly intelligent people analyzing docu- Eugene Emery, John F. Fischer, Thomas many people's minds, the inclusion is ments such as the MJ-12 papers R. MacDonough, Lloyd Stires, David E. probably quite welcome and both essays (allegedly detailing a Truman-era presi- Thomas, James Oberg, and Philip J. quite interesting. One, Zen Faulkes's "Is dential memo about a crashed saucer) to Klass (of course), among others. In fact, Intelligence Inevitable?," has been prove that it is a forgery. Elsewhere, one thought that went through my mind extensively updated for this volume. medical professionals and special effects as I read the essays in this collection was Personally, being more of an amateur experts debate the truth or fiction of the amazement at the amount of work that psychologist than an amateur "Roswell alien autopsy" film, concluding astronomer, the part I found most inter- Peter Huston is author o/Scams from the for several reasons that the film is a hoax esting was the section on alien-abduc- Great Beyond and other books. (i.e. why can't the highly trained govern- tion claims. This included a well-done, 5 2 May/June 1998 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS completely new, unpublished essay (the typical of many readers of this volume. normal mysteries." I haw received mud) of my science education from my interest skeptical books only one in die book), "No Aliens, No Most will love some essays, while simul- and publications about the paranormal. Abductions; Just Regressive Hypnosis, taneously wishing they had die chance 2. As much as I respect Robert Baker, let me Waking Dreams, and Anthropo- to post a letter to die editor about oth- state that I disagree with his statement that anthropomorphic aliens are quite unlikely, and morphism," by Robert Baker, CSICOP ers. (But that's what critical thinking is therefore an obvious human creation. Essentially Fellow and professor emeritus of psy- all about.) Sadly most of die original he states that since many people argue that alien 2 life is probably unbelievably alien, aliens should chology. This details the way in which illustrations arc not reproduced. not resemble us. For another viewpoint, see sleep paralysis and waking dreams often Nevertheless, these arc minor criti- 'Design for Life" and the related writings of CSI- lead to strange experiences which can be cisms. All in all, this work is a fine, one- COP fellow, engineer, and science fiction author L Sprague DeCamp. DeCamp has argued that interpreted as otherworldly visitations. volume collection of some of the best since our form obviously works reasonably well When the initial experience is combined articles ever collected in the SKEPTICAL and efficiently it might be repeated elsewhere, although not exactly, of course, by an intelligent with misuse of hypnosis to "recover" the INQUIRER. It should make a welcome fool-using species which evolved from a four- memories, the actual events of die situa- addition to many skeptics' personal limbed predecessor. DeCamp states that conver- tion can be completely distorted, being libraries. Better yet, this book would be gent evolution is quite possible and proven to exist on Earth. For example, in the air, bats, birds, and replaced instead by confabulations of a valuable addition to almost any good pterodactyls all evolved into roughly similar forms quite a dramatic nature. Baker states school, college, or public library, and without necessarily sharing a common ancestry. In that at least four contemporary legends skeptics shouldn't hesitate to recom- the water, dolphins, icrhyosaurs. and fish all did the same thing. For the record, this does not mean directly relate to die misuse of regressive mend that such institutions acquire it. that I believe in the existence of visiting "Greys," hypnosis—UFO abductions, false however. Why should I. when persons such as Notes Baker have done such a fine job of explaining the memories of childhood abuse, the myth phenomena involved without requiring the of Satanic ritual abuse, and the myth of I. Some day. I wish that science educators unprecedented presence of extraterrestrial visitors? widespread multiple-personality disor- would use scientific principles to explain "para- der. Other essays describe die argument Demolishing the that many "UFO abductees" exhibit ROSWELL signs consistent widi a fantasy-prone CRASHED SAUCER # f personality. Here I was a litde bit less COVERUP Roswell Alien Myth comfortable. Although it is dear diat DAVID E. THOMAS some of us humans have less of a grasp on reality than others, I also believe The Real Roswell Crashed Saucer Coverup. By Philip J. Klass. some skeptics may be overly quick to Prometheus Boob, New York, 1997. ISBN 1-57392-164-5. thrust this label upon anyone who PHILIP J. KLASS 240 pp. Hardcover, $24.95. might claim an experience that cannot be easily explained. This could easily he question isn't "Did an alien is wdl qualified to separate the truths become a pretext to dismiss things that spaceship crash at Roswell in from the myths about the alleged should be looked into more deeply, 1947?" The question is, why do Roswell crashed saucer. Through impar- T tial research and meticulous documenta- including other psychological or sensory many prominent UFO authors persist anomalies. Personally, I believe skeptics in claiming the Roswell Incident is still tion, Phil Klass has written die definitive should be quite cautious about labeling UFO d o m ' s best case? In case there were book on die Roswell myth. their opponents as suffering from per- still doubts, Phil Klass's new book Klass starts off widi contemporary sonality disorders, for several ethical, should help settle them. His case against accounts from 1947—cold, hard facts public relations, legal, and methodolog- die Roswell "alien" myth is devastating. that arc not subject to die whims of ical reasons; besides if we don't, we Klass's previous books include UFOs: memory. He details die UFO "craze" might dismiss something interesting out The Public Deceived and UFO that swept die country in die summer of of hand while simultaneously alienating Abductions: A Dangerous Game, both 1947, die Army Air Force announce- the general public. (If we arc quick to published by Prometheus books. He has ment of the capture of a "flying disk," label believers as "fantasy prone," they, spent over thirty years investigating and the explanation of the find as inevitably, will begin landing us, with famous UFO incidents, hoping to find weather balloons and radar targets. some justification, as suffering from an credible, scientific evidence of extrater- "obsessive compulsive need to overcom- restrial visitors. He currently publishes David E Thomas is a physicist. He is a pensate for our repressed fantasy-prone die Skeptics UFO Newsletter (SUN), SKEPTICAL INQUIRER consulting editor tendencies.") and is a Fellow of CSICOP and chair of and is president of New Mexicans far Of course, I expect my reactions arc its UFO Subcommittee. Klass, in short, Science and Reason. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1998 53 .
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