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From: Chris Rutkowski <rutkows@cc.UManitoba.CA>
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 09:16:23 -0600 (CST)
Fwd Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 23:01:14 -0500
Subject: Re: 'Electrically Induced Hallucinations'

> Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 10:00:52 -0500
> To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
> From: "Steven J. Powell" <sjpowell@access.digex.net>
> Subject: Re: UFO UpDate: Re: 'Electrically Induced Hallucinations'
> >Subject: Re: UFO UpDate: Re: 'Electrically Induced Hallucinations' -  Pe
> >From: Pat Parrinello <pparri@republic.net>

> I don't know why so many people make so much out of Persinger's work, its
> very tentative and far from complete.  There's positively a magnetic field
> association with UFOs and there's positively a relationship between eologic
> activity and subsequent UFO sightings.  These are interesting but they
> really don't prove anything yet.

That's true, although if you saw the Discovery Channel's program which
highlighted Persinger's work (and any other program which featured
him), it was implied that this was the best theory since sliced bread
(pardon the metaphor). Further, Persinger isn't refining his theory at
all; he's just going further and further afield and no longer even
citing any criticisms of the TST. Finally, Persinger seems convinced
that the EM fields *are* the explanation for UFOs.

So, the reason skeptics are excited about Persinger's work is that it's
a way to explain the bizarre aspects of UFO reports (and all other
Forteana) without invoking aliens or metaphysics. The reason ufologists
are getting excited is because Persinger's work is getting so much
attention despite its weaknesses.

It's like the discovery that garlic has *something* to do with the
reduction in the numbers of cancer cells in the body. Does that mean we
should abandon all other leads or studies unrelated to garlic? No; we
file it and devote some energy to investigating it, but remember the
limitations of research.


--
Chris Rutkowski - rutkows@cc.umanitoba.ca
(and now, also: Chris.Rutkowski@UMAlumni.mb.ca)
University of Manitoba - Winnipeg, Canada