Philip Klass dies

Famous UFO skeptic Philip J. Klass died last night. He's been involved in Ufology for a long time and definately was one of the most influential people in the field. Both admired and despised, Klass was always right in the middle of things...

Strangely enough I couldn't find anything abou this death on the CSICOP website. It's on the UFO Magazine website's front page.

www.ufomag.com...

[edit on 8/11/2005 by Flinx]

As a UFO believer, I don't wish to speak badly of the dead but.. He invented the word debunker. I read something today about his admission to being involved with the CIA.

Seen him on documentaries and Larry King live a couple of times, once with Kevin Randle. From most Ufologists point of views that I have seen and read, Klass was well respected in the aviation business field and hated within most of the Ufology community.

If he's indead dead this is the first I have heard of it tonight.

Dallas

Originally posted by Flinx
Famous UFO skeptic Philip J. Klass died last night. He's been involved in Ufology for a long time and definately was one of the most influential people in the field. Both admired and despised, Klass was always right in the middle of things...

Strangely enough I couldn't find anything abou this death on the CSICOP website. It's on the UFO Magazine website's front page.

www.ufomag.com...

Should also be plenty of discussion on UFOUpDates regarding Philip J Klass.
www.virtuallystrange.net...

Both admired and despised, Klass was always right in the middle of things...

I certainly fall into that category...

I admired him as he often turned up new evidence in cases, and really did his homework. This often lead to the dismissal of hoaxes, and imho, any true UFOlogist should be quite glad to separate the wheat from the chaff, as the chaff is what gives the field a bad name.

I despised him when he often took more mundane theory evidence, even when unsupported, in preference to other documented evidence. A case in point is Roswell, where he accepts the references Moore makes to flowered tape, without any support of said tape's existence (which seems to be an easy thing to prove if true). Also, Klass ignores common sense in such cases, (such as how intel officers fail to identify tin foil and balsa wood), in preferrence to other skeptics' ideas.

I think UFOlogists would actually be remiss in not acknowledging his contributions to the field, regardless of personal opinions.

Phil was the epitome of a debunker, and was a legend in the field. May he rest in peace.

I love the last line in the article.

Whatever the truth is about UFOs, aliens, or life after death, Phil Klass now knows that truth.

I wonder if anyone will try to fill his shoes?

I think his shoes have already been filled by Michael Shermer and Joe Nichol. James Oberg is a big debunker of UFOs as well.

I actually used to have quite a bit of respect for Phil Klass even though I disagreed with him. That respect turned to outright hatred after I saw him on one of those daytime talk shows (Sally Jessy Raphael maybe) discussing the existence of UFOs. This was about 10-12 years ago, back when people were actually interested in UFOs.

Some lady from the audienced asked him a question that was vaguely pro-UFO. He responded with some snide answer then ended his statement with "young lady, or should I say young man *smirk*". Basically, he insulted her for no reason because she had a short haircut. He was insinuating that she was a lesbian or something. Stanton Friedman, who was also on the panel was quick to use that to his advantage and said something like "See? This is what they do...the use ridicule to surpress questioning."

Of course the audience booed Klass and the pro-UFO camp won the day....on a talk show. But that was what led me to realize that Phlip Klass was an angry, spiteful little man...



PS- Here's an interesting journal article on CSICOP and it's effect on science

www.tricksterbook.com...



[edit on 8/11/2005 by Flinx]

Of course the audience booed Klass and the pro-UFO camp won the day....on a talk show. But that was what led me to realize that Phlip Klass was an angry, spiteful little man...

You said it. While of course it's considered that talking bad about the dead is inpolite, Klass himself wouldn't have hesitated to do exactly just that. To see whatelse was in his character one only needs to read this article by Don Ecker.
www.destinationspace.net...

Whatever the truth is about UFOs, aliens, or life after death, Phil Klass now knows that truth.

I wonder if he'll accept it.

sad to hear it as it was an imoportant piece of the overall puzzle

RIP