Crop Circle Tales in the New Age Era - Essay Example

Hour-long segments can be devoted to dabbling with the possibility of otherworldly visitations, satanic rituals, or mystic intent before finally determining the crop circles are likely little more than an adult prank played upon society by teams of specialized artists. Within the world of pseudoscience, a belief that crop circles are somehow otherworldly and possibly connected to either a form of mysticism and/or alien visitation is the more common interpretation. In short, pseudoscience can be defined as a way of understanding that does not adhere to the traditional stringent norms of the scientific method, evidence and analysis, verifiable proof, and a litany of other factors that are traditionally and commonly associated with science as such. In this way, the following analysis will seek to understand how the pseudoscience of crop circles exists and what hallmarks of pseudoscience are evidenced within the belief in a supernatural or mystical interpretation of this man-made phenomenon. Finally, a discussion as to what would need to change for the pseudoscience of crop circles to be accepted as legitimate science will also be engaged.

The first series about any occurrence is not always the correct one. Whereas in science one theory may be proposed, analyzed, and quickly dismissed, within the world of pseudoscience, this first theory that gained traction within society has lasted far longer than it should have. Analysis, video recordings, eyewitness accounts, and/or any other forms of evidence linked with crop circles have definitively proven that any occurrences linked to these manifestations are entirely man-made or at the very best inconclusive (Meder 285). By the same token, scientific inquiry with regards to these, many of which the governments of the world were specifically interested in, have also proven that crop circles are merely the work of talented tricksters.

Rather than merely clinging to the first explanation of why crop circles exist as proof that it is a pseudoscience, the reader can also look to the fact that crop circles, and those who believe in them, have never provided definitive evidence to prove the claims that are made. Instead, any evidence that has been collected and/4 analyzed by a reputable source has indicated that no extraterrestrial and/or mystic presence adequately explains the phenomenon (Alfonsky 67). Merely expecting that a previously unregistered or unknown pattern equals an otherworldly or mystic presence is a perfect exemplification of how pseudoscience takes one particular theory and faults it to a level of prominence that the evidence does not support (Taylor 693).

For the pseudoscience of crop circles to be taken seriously, it would be necessary for several key changes to take place. Firstly, it would need to be definitively proven, through a level of verifiable and scientific research that there is a level of evidence pointing towards otherworldly or mystic causes for these crop circles. Although it is somewhat fruitless to suppose what this might be, the reader can assume that such evidence could take the form of a particular type of measurement, artifact, or indisputable proof of another type. It must be kept in mind however that it is not the role of science to prove anything beyond a reasonable doubt (Bayler 9).

To the credit of those that believe in crop circles, science is unable to disprove that they exist. However, it is not the role of science to disprove something that cannot be proven in the first place. Scientists refer to this as disproving the negative; something that science, nor any other logic-based way of human thinking has been capable of integrating with over the past several hundred years. However, in the meantime, it is safe to still consider manifestations in crop circles as a purely man-made and contrived form of alternative part. Any other explanation would be going beyond the bounds of existing evidence that has proven that these shapes are purely man-made and do not have any correlation or connection with the spiritual and/or alien world outside of our planet. Read More