[The UFO Rabbit Hole] Ep 24: UFOs & High Strangeness: The 6-Layer Model by Vallée & Davis
Aug 31, 2023
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UFOlogist heavyweights Vallée and Davis discuss their article on the complexities of UFO encounters. They introduce a six-layer model for analyzing UFO phenomena, highlighting the psychological and physiological effects on witnesses. They explore challenges in communicating with potential extraterrestrial intelligence and emphasize the importance of analyzing anecdotal data to identify patterns.
The 6-layer model proposed by Vallée and Davis provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing UFO encounters and understanding their complexities.
The incommensurability problem in communicating with non-human intelligence highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches and a willingness to explore unfamiliar perspectives.
The use of symbols and icons for communication in UFO studies is limited due to the lack of shared cultural and sensory context, emphasizing the challenges of conveying meaning across species.
Deep dives
The Six-Layer Model for Understanding the UFO Phenomenon
Valet and Davis propose a six-layer model for analyzing UFO encounters. The first layer is the physical layer, which focuses on the tangible aspects of UFOs. The second layer is the anti-physical layer, which explores the strange behaviors and phenomena associated with UFOs that defy our current understanding of physics. The third layer is the psychological layer, which addresses the psychological and social implications of UFO encounters. The fourth layer is the physiological layer, which examines the physical and sensory effects experienced by witnesses. The fifth layer is the psychic layer, which explores paranormal elements such as telepathy and levitation. The sixth layer is the cultural layer, which considers the societal and cultural impact of UFO encounters. Each layer provides a unique perspective on the complexity of the UFO phenomenon and highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to study and understand it.
The Incommensurability Problem in UFO Studies
Valet and Davis discuss the incommensurability problem in understanding and communicating with non-human intelligence. Incommensurability refers to the inability to measure or compare two systems that lack common standards or terms of measurement. They argue that the vast differences in biology, environment, and consciousness between humans and non-human intelligence make it extremely challenging to establish common ground for communication. Differences in communication methods, values, ethics, and scientific paradigms can create barriers to understanding and result in a lack of shared meaning. Overcoming the incommensurability problem requires interdisciplinary approaches and a willingness to explore unfamiliar perspectives.
Semiotics and Communication Challenges
Semiotics, the study of signs and symbols, is discussed as a framework for understanding communication challenges in UFO studies. Symbols, which rely on arbitrary associations between sign and signified, are problematic in cross-species communication due to the lack of shared cultural and sensory context. Icons, which bear a physical resemblance to the signified, also face limitations in conveying meaning without shared context. The complexity and abstract nature of the UFO phenomenon make it difficult to establish meaningful symbols or icons. Without a common language or shared understanding, communication with non-human intelligence becomes increasingly challenging.
Communication Challenges with Non-Human Intelligences
The podcast explores the challenges of communicating with non-human intelligences and the limitations of relying on sensory modalities. It suggests that utilizing a communication method not tied to a specific sensory modality, such as electromagnetic radiation, could be more effective. However, it acknowledges that the interpretation of icons or messages would still depend on the cognitive abilities and cultural context of the recipient.
The Potential Use of Avatars or Drones
The podcast discusses the hypothesis that the humanoid appearance of beings associated with UFOs and abduction cases could be an intentional camouflage or an act to address the incommensurability problem. This concept is supported by the work of Dr. Gary Nolan, who suggests that non-human intelligences may use avatars or drones to communicate with humans, similar to how a human might communicate with ants using a drone that resembles an ant. This approach aims to bridge the gap between different species and allow for communication despite the differences in sensory modalities and understanding of symbols.
Today’s episode is an important one, because it’s going to lay the groundwork for a lot of the things that we’re going to be discussing moving forward. In the weeks and months to come, this is an episode that I’ll likely be referring back to often.
And that’s because today we’re diving into an article written by two heavyweights of ufology that serves not only as an essential framework to support our understanding of the complexities and nuances of the UFO phenomenon, but that also—in a very real way—helped to lay the foundation for the recent push for UFO disclosure. In short, it’s not only important that we take the time to really understand the ideas presented in this article—but to understand where it fits into the history of modern ufology.
The paper to which I’m referring is Incommensurability, Orthodoxy, and the Physics of High Strangeness: A 6-Layer Model for Anomalous Phenomena written by Jacques Vallée and Eric Davis. Most people will already be very familiar with those names, but just in case they are new to you, you can find links to their bios and other work in the episode brief.
What is so significant about this paper is that it seeks to create a framework by which we can begin to analyze and integrate the parts of UFO encounters that rarely make it into sci-fi media, and even more rarely make it into serious discussions about the phenomenon itself—which is the undeniable and pervasive occurrence of events and effects that are traditionally relegated to the realms of high strangeness and the paranormal.
If there’s nothing else that you take away from this episode it should be this—encounters with UFOs and non-human intelligence are much, much weirder than you've probably been led to believe.
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MUSIC Theme: Cabinet of Curiosities by Shaun Frearson Featured Song: Jacques Vallée by _ship
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:32 Introduction 00:06:53 Problems with the SETI and UAP Paradigms 00:07:25 —SETI & The Assumption of Mediocrity 00:12:19 —Anthropocentric Bias in SETI 00:14:54 —Anthropocentric Bias in Ufology 00:16:27 The Need For A Unified Approach To UAP Studies 00:20:01 The Six Layers of UAP Analysis 00:20:30 —Layer I: Physical 00:21:45 —Layer II: Anti-Physical 00:23:00 —Layer III: Psychological 00:29:53 —Layer IV: Physiological 00:32:19 —Layer V: Psychic 00:34:19 —Layer VI: Cultural 00:37:10 Possible Nature of UAP Technology 00:39:48 The Incommensurability Problem 00:45:42 Semiotics 00:51:35 High Strangeness & The Abduction Problem 00:54:12 Conclusions 00:56:23 Garry Nolan and Talking To Ants 01:00:26 Whitley Strieber and “The Visitors In the Trees” 01:12:42 Jacques Vallée by _ship
MUSIC Theme: Cabinet of Curiosities by Shaun Frearson Featured Song: Jacques Vallée by _ship
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