American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology
| AUTHOR | Pasulka, D. W. |
| PUBLISHER | Oxford University Press (02/20/2019) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Hardcover (Hardcover) |
Description
More than half of American adults and more than seventy-five percent of young Americans believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. This level of belief rivals that of belief in God. American Cosmic examines the mechanisms at work behind the thriving belief system in extraterrestrial life, a system that is changing and even supplanting traditional religions. Over the course of a six-year ethnographic study, D.W. Pasulka interviewed successful and influential scientists, professionals, and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who believe in extraterrestrial intelligence, thereby disproving the common misconception that only fringe members of society believe in UFOs. She argues that widespread belief in aliens is due to a number of factors including their ubiquity in modern media like The X-Files, which can influence memory, and the believability lent to that media by the search for planets that might support life. American Cosmic explores the intriguing question of how people interpret unexplainable experiences, and argues that the media is replacing religion as a cultural authority that offers believers answers about non-human intelligent life.
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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13:
9780190692889
ISBN-10:
019069288X
Binding:
Hardback or Cased Book (Sewn)
Content Language:
English
More Product Details
Page Count:
288
Carton Quantity:
27
Product Dimensions:
5.80 x 1.20 x 8.30 inches
Weight:
0.90 pound(s)
Feature Codes:
Bibliography,
Index,
Price on Product,
Illustrated
Country of Origin:
US
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Social Science | Sociology of Religion
Social Science | Popular Culture
Social Science | UFOs & Extraterrestrials
Dewey Decimal:
001.942
Library of Congress Control Number:
2018015547
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
More than half of American adults and more than seventy-five percent of young Americans believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. This level of belief rivals that of belief in God. American Cosmic examines the mechanisms at work behind the thriving belief system in extraterrestrial life, a system that is changing and even supplanting traditional religions. Over the course of a six-year ethnographic study, D.W. Pasulka interviewed successful and influential scientists, professionals, and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who believe in extraterrestrial intelligence, thereby disproving the common misconception that only fringe members of society believe in UFOs. She argues that widespread belief in aliens is due to a number of factors including their ubiquity in modern media like The X-Files, which can influence memory, and the believability lent to that media by the search for planets that might support life. American Cosmic explores the intriguing question of how people interpret unexplainable experiences, and argues that the media is replacing religion as a cultural authority that offers believers answers about non-human intelligent life.
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