Do skeptics ever get tired of trying to disprove everything that is amazing?

The noted UFO investigator, Jacques Vallee, has been considered the leading authority on the subject. He was the model for the French scientist in the CLOSE ENO#ERS film. Over decades he untiringly conferred with other experts, scientists, travelled to sites, questioned contactees, etc.

He wrote summary conclusions in his later books, and they're not what UFO believers want to hear. He concludes there may be some unusual unexplained phenomena out there, but by and large the field is overwhelmingly littered with attention-seeking and self-serving false information. One of his books, MESSENGERS OF DECEPTION, is a sociological work about disturbing cults that have grown around the notion of space visitors which he says are malign and often dangerous.

Myself, well I err on the side of skepticism. I will point out that this is not a position that I, or others, take, to shoot down people's sense of wonder. More, it is a fatigue with seeing what may be fascinating phenomena and events, diluted to the point of unrecognizability by a growing sub-culture and industry that exploits an audience hungry to find wonder and mystery.

The Internet has brought these people worldwide together. In the process it has also has also provided a forum and loose community to thoousands of paranoid schizophrenics with Internet connections and typing skills. It has created a way for a lot of small scale entrepreneurs to make a buck feeding all this with paid sites, videos, books, etc.

This site is head and shoulders above the others I've seen. The lunatics haven’t taken over the asylum – at least not yet!


Mike F

Originally posted by bringthelight

What I am talking about is the people who just go on attacking believers saying things like "that is impossible, you are ignorant and stupid for believing that." Also they offer no evidence to the contrary. These posts offer nothing to the discussion and just stifles it. At no point in the thread did I say I didn't agree with skeptics asking for evidence.

[edit on 7-12-2008 by bringthelight]

Well if anyone just jumps in and does that then they are wrong...can you cite any cases where a person has done this in such a callous way as you are suggesting? Is it an isolated situation or common practice?

I could name a number of topics where the OPs cling on to nothing for their proof…I don’t want to start a war here, but if you like I’ll PM you a few topics that are great examples.

But your title says it all...no we do not get tired in asking for further proof to actually call something real....

I leave you with a question..

How can we provide proof to the contrary when there is little supporting it in the first place? It is up to the author to burden the needed evidence. When the author provides their evidence then the reader can analyze it to see if it is actually empirical data or maybe just a conjecture or hearsay. The reader is doing the author a favor by doing this BTW…

reply to post by bringthelight


Skepticism and open-mindedness are not mutually exclusive. If you can demonstrate anything to be true, skeptics will believe. They just won't take your word that something exists - they need to be convinced.

Everyone should be skeptical. Otherwise we won't learn anything, and be doomed to spend our days in a world where we don't know anything for certain.

Originally posted by dave420
reply to post by bringthelight

 

Skepticism and open-mindedness are not mutually exclusive. If you can demonstrate anything to be true, skeptics will believe. They just won't take your word that something exists - they need to be convinced.

Everyone should be skeptical. Otherwise we won't learn anything, and be doomed to spend our days in a world where we don't know anything for certain.

I think we called that the Dark Ages.....

[edit on 7-12-2008 by Xtrozero]

I agree my title is somewhat misleading to my point. I should have worded it better. I guess thats why I am upsetting so many skeptics. I am also a skeptic but i just dont go around belittling people and derailing threads that could lead to some great conversation. Thats what I am talking about in essence. Im not here to name names so Im not going to reference threads, but I think we have all seen examples of what i am talking about.

Originally posted by bringthelight
reply to post by jfj123

 

If you read the entire thread you would have seen that I had stated numerous times that I had no problems with skeptics asking for evidence. That is what this site is all about.

I am simply responding to your questions and here you are attacking me for it....hmmmm....

What I am talking about is the people who just go on attacking believers saying things like "that is impossible, you are ignorant and stupid for believing that."

Well in that case, since you are ONLY talking about those people, we can close this thread. The reason is, they are violating the ATS T&S and will be banned so as you can see, there is no need for this thread at all

Also they offer no evidence to the contrary.

Irrelevant. The person making the claim has the responsibility to back it up.

These posts offer nothing to the discussion and just stifles it. At no point in the thread did I say I didn't agree with skeptics asking for evidence.
[edit on 7-12-2008 by bringthelight]

The implication is readily apparent