Alternate Horizons Newsletter - Vol 2 No 2

Magazine Overview

Title: Alternate Horizons Newsletter
Issue: Volume Two, Whole Number Eight, Number Two
Date: Undetermined, but likely June 1953 based on incident dates.
Publisher: FOUNDATION FOR PHILOSOPHIC ADVANCEMENT (FPA)
Editor: Allen H. Greenfield

This issue of the Alternate Horizons Newsletter focuses on significant policy changes within the Foundation for Philosophic Advancement and introduces a novel classification system for UFO reports, alongside an exploration of the editor's 'Alternate Reality' (AR) theory.

Special Notice on Membership

The newsletter announces a major policy shift: the FPA will no longer accept general memberships. Existing members are to receive a refund of their membership fees and applications. However, these members have the option to be placed on a private mailing list, which will entitle them to receive future issues of the Alternate Horizons Newsletter (AHN), the UFO Sighter, and other releases free of charge. The FPA emphasizes that this change is intended to improve the organization administratively and is not an indication of impending demise. The listing on the private mailing list is at the discretion of the FPA and is indefinite. Back issues remain available for 50 cents each, and free samples are also offered on the same basis.

The Nature of Background Evidence: An Example

This section explores the idea that relevant material for alternate reality research can be found in literature outside the UFO field. It presents a striking parallel between a vision reported by Geoffrey Hodson in June 1922, described in his book 'Faries At Work and At Play', and a UFO-related incident from the John Black/John Van Allen case, which occurred over 30 years later. The incident, allegedly observed by Black on June 20, 1953, involved a description of an entity similar to Hodson's vision. The article notes that Hodson's book was obscurely published in England, making it unlikely that Black's account was directly inspired by it. The authors suggest that this parallel, even if not definitively 'fixed' or coincidental, supports the idea of a link between UFOlogy and mythology, which is central to the concept of 'Alternate Reality' (AR).

Examples of Cases Tentatively Classed and A Tentative Proposal for the Classification of UFO Reports According to Acceptability as Evidence of Non-Natural Origin

This article proposes a system for classifying UFO reports based on the strength of evidence for their non-natural origin. The goal is to assess the significance of UFOs as manifestations of non-natural phenomena. The proposed classification includes:

• CLASS A: Sightings meeting the highest standards for believability of non-natural origin, characterized by strong evidence. Examples include Socorro, New Mexico; Fatima, Portugal; and the Reverend Gill case. These are expected to be few.
• CLASS B: Sightings of high reliability, similar to Class A, but with minor loopholes that introduce more doubt. Examples include the A.V.B. Case, Valensole, France, and the Lead Mask case.
• CLASS C: Reports without major flaws but which do not significantly contribute to UFO research. These are typically not well-known cases and might have plausible natural explanations that are not certain.
• CLASS D: Cases that do not seem to contribute significantly to UFO research and appear to have a natural explanation. For instance, if a lighted balloon was observed during a sighting.
• CLASS E: Reports that are doubtful to the point of being reasonably proven natural.
• CLASS X: Cases that do not readily conform to other classes, possibly due to investigator judgment or being permanently outside the system.

The article acknowledges that this system does not account for absolute proof, as none is currently known. It also suggests the need for a 'Class B-1' for reports better than Class C but not quite Class B quality, and the potential addition of a weighing scale to all classes. The system's adequacy for hard-core contact cases is questioned.

The article is identified as being from Alternate Horizons Newsletter, Volume Two, Number Two, an official FPA publication, with Allen H. Greenfield as Editor, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Greenfield on AR: A Self Interview

In this section, Allen H. Greenfield elaborates on his 'AR' (Alternate Reality) theory. He defines AR as an all-encompassing view of unusual phenomena, including ghosts and flying saucers, proposing that our world may be paralleled by one or more coequal 'alternate realities'. These phenomena are seen as manifestations of interpenetration between realities, possibly occurring naturally or through conscious intervention throughout human history.

Greenfield admits that his conceptions are broad and subject to change, with no definitive proof but a significant amount of 'contributing evidence' that 'fits'. He believes AR can explain phenomena ranging from werewolves to the 'moth man'.

When asked about other plausible theories, Greenfield dismisses the popular interplanetary theory (NICAP's concept of exploration spacecraft) as having too many holes. He considers a 'Higher Interplanetary Theory' involving aspects of the Shaver mystery and teleportation as potentially meritorious but strained. He also entertains a sophisticated psychological theory and a 'split evolution' concept where entities like 'men in black' exist symbiotically in a 'twilight world underground'. He notes that these theories are not necessarily in conflict with AR.

Regarding the '4-D theory' and Shaver, Greenfield finds them interesting but believes AR offers a more objective search. He questions the dimensional aspect of '4-D' and the concept of 'vibrations' without proof. While acknowledging potential merit in Shaver's ideas, he finds literal concepts like caves or 'places in the sky' hard to believe without specific evidence.

Greenfield recommends several authors and books for background research, including Gray Barker's 'They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers', Jacques Vallee's 'Anatomy of a Phenomenon', E.J. Ruppelt's 'The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects', and John G. Fuller's 'The Interrupted Journey'. He also suggests Kor/Comella articles, ibn Aharon material, Fort, Keel, Jerome Clark, and 'strange' type books from Edwards and Steiger.

He laments the absence of a comprehensive book covering this material for the modern reader. Key areas for future AR investigations include writing this comprehensive book and indexing AR-related historical events, emphasizing the need for more dialogue on the subject.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently promotes the exploration of unusual phenomena through a framework that seeks to integrate disparate reports into a coherent, albeit speculative, worldview. The editorial stance, as represented by Allen H. Greenfield, is one of open inquiry, critical analysis, and a willingness to consider unconventional explanations. The shift in membership policy suggests a move towards a more focused, perhaps exclusive, community of researchers. The proposed UFO classification system reflects a desire for rigorous evaluation of evidence, while the AR theory embodies a broad, unifying perspective on unexplained events, linking them to concepts of alternate realities and interpenetration.