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Professor Says UFO Studies Should Be Taught At Universities

Posted by samzenpus on from the alien-grading-curve dept.

New York anthropology professor Philip Haseley wants young people to get the best education possible, and part of that education, he says, should be about UFOs. Haseley thinks universities should offer classes on UFOs and other unexplained phenomena from space. "[A sighting] happens to millions of people [around the world]. It's about time we looked into this as a worthy area of study. It's important that the whole subject be brought out in the open and investigated," he said. I want to believe the truth is out there in 500 words or less.

4 of 311 comments (clear)

  1. It doesn't sound crazy by chord.wav · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A rigorous scientific and professional approach would be far better than an amateur approach any day. Otherwise we deny the phenomenon entirely, or rely on amateur people who keep finding traces of them anywhere they look. You know they saying: "To a person holding a hammer, every problem is a nail."

  2. Re:sound good to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I had this class. In my university, the history department had some classes in secret societies and conspiracies. We discussed the history and psychology of these events and how they've migrated from supernatural to scientifically based as our culture changed from dependence on one to dependence on the other. It was very interesting, though the mythology on Masonry and the Illuminati and such were far cooler than the UFO stuff IMO.

    It was a good class and I agree that it should be a history elective.

  3. Anthropology by c++0xFF · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think a class that studies those who believe in UFOs would definitely be worth of an anthropology class.

    Who are the believers? Why do they so strongly believe they saw a UFO? What is the cultural basis behind this belief? What are the equivalents in other societies? Ghosts? Evil spirits? Angels? A study of the people would be very interesting.

    I think this anthropology professor might even be qualified (if biased) to teach such a class.

  4. Re:Religion Studies by bmo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    (T)he first really strange stories I remember hearing were Bible stories. And these stories were completely amazing: about parting oceans, and talking snakes. And people really seemed to believe these stories. And I'm talking about adults. Adults, who mainly just did the most mundane things imaginable: mowing their lawns and throwing potluck parties; they all believed in these wild stories. And they would sit around and discuss them in the most matter-of-fact way. So in a way I was introduced to a special local form of surrealism at an early age and so there was always a question in my mind about what's actually true and what is just another art form.

    -Laurie Anderson

    --
    BMO