13.1.2 SEE-I Model

State

Since there is insufficient evidence for alien piloted UFOs, there is also insufficient evidence for alien life; however, there is still validity in believing in the possibility that alien life exists.  

Elaborate  

Since the universe is so vastly large and extremely undiscovered, there is so much possibility and unknown in our galaxy and every other universe, just waiting to be explored. There is always a chance that there is extraterrestrial life anywhere in the universe because such a ginormous amount of it has not even been touched by astrological and scientific technology. While companies like NASA work extremely hard to cover as much ground and new areas as they can, “it is hard to keep track of all the new discoveries in space research”(Pryor). The fact that there is just so much to discover and explore means that finding extraterrestrial life may take longer than anticipated to bring results. Even by finding the tiniest of life forms, microbes even, would be such a major discovery and a gateway for new exploration. There are constantly new discoveries being made by NASA in terms of new planets, different textures of moons, and exoplanets, so the possibility that aliens are also out in the universe is not a far fetched idea. With the continuous work and advancements that are being made with technology and astronomy, there is a possibility that finding evidence of UFOs could lead to the discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Exemplify 

• Meteorology: As a majority of meteorological devices are confused for UFOs, society will make false claims that aliens are piloting the unidentified flying objects that they are sighting. When weather balloons, satellites, and other airborne objects are launched into the air for meteorological purposes, they often seem unfamiliar to the average human eye. Due to the foreign appearance of these objects, society jumps to conclusions and cherry picks the characteristics of these devices to their understanding of what a UFO looks like. Even natural phenomena like sprites can be confused for extraterrestrial lifeforms and technology. These sprites appear when “lightning from thunderstorms excites the electric field above the storm, producing dancing flashes of bright light” (Livescience, 2010). Since these natural occurrences and devices are confused for UFOs, there still remains no actual, physical evidence of alien life forms because they are not proved to be responsible for these incidents.

• Military Science: The government plays such a crucial role in the conspiracy of ufology in major aspects like military bases and equipment. Once again, military technology like drones, warfare materials, and aircrafts are commonly mistaken for unidentified flying objects due to their unfamiliar appearance. Major military bases, such as Area 51, have also become key areas of conspiracy when it comes to UFOs and the secret of aliens. Since the government handles a majority of the reports of supposed crashed UFOs, much of society in America believes that they keep these secrets in Area 51– hiding the truth from the public. However, according to information directly from the CIA, “test flights of the U-2 and military aircraft account for many of the UFO sightings in the area” (CIA, 2023). To this day, there still remains no physical evidence of extraterrestrial life at Area 51 or anywhere else in the world – as this subject matter started as a rumor that was quickly discredited. While the CIA negated the claims about extraterrestrial life in military bases, the government still works to explore the universe for any signs of life in space.

• Astronomy: Astronomy acts as a huge aspect with ufology as the main area of study for both of these topics is outer space and the study within the universe. Sometimes it can seem difficult to differentiate between phenomena that occur in outer space with the feeling that another life form is out there. Whether it is a flash of light from space, a shooting star, or simply a planet or star shining in the sky, the way we see these from earth can add to the conspiracy that a UFO controlled by an alien is creating those occurrences. The question of if we would even be able to tell the difference between an alien appearance and natural astronomical occurrences only contributes to the conspiracy: “If evidence of extraterrestrial life appeared in our solar system, would we notice it?” (Loeb, 2023). Since there is no evidence to disprove that aliens are causing these reactions that are not being studied because they are assumed to be astronomical phenomena, then it is to be assumed that aliens could be real. But, there is also no physical evidence to support that aliens are responsible for these events, so it is also to be assumed that aliens are not real. This concept really highlights ad ignorantiam in that both sides of the theory are correct because of the lack of physical evidence of UFOs and aliens.

Illustrate

Based on the evidence of UFOs, having the ability to believe in aliens somewhat relates to believing in God. “For many people, the belief in UFOs is an analogy to religion, but one that lets them feel they are modern people in tune with the scientific culture. Thus, a tendency to believe that some UFOs are spaceships is a natural result of the process of secularization, which has weakened traditional faith without removing many people’s need for transcendent hopes” (Vakoch, Douglas et al.). While there is no physical evidence to support the existence of aliens, there is also no physical evidence to support the belief in God. At the same time, there is no evidence to the contrary, that aliens do not exist anywhere in the universe or that a supreme being does not exist. Further, belief – whether in aliens or in God – does not rely on evidence, but rather on possibility, personal preference, personal revelation, and cultural conditioning.