A MUST READ BOOK

Few people in the world have got the acceptance and approval of a University to develop a research in Ufology.

Dr. Roberto Enrique Banchs, from Argentina, have been one of them.

When the John F. Kennedy Argentinian University, in Buenos Aires, opened its doors to the issue of the Unusual Aerial Phenomena, Dr. Banchs, (Architect, and later PhD in Psichology and Professor in that University) took the chance to apply all the knowledge he was able to accumulate along decades as investigator, student and researcher.

Fruit of that is the book Fenómenos Aéreos Inusuales – Un enfoque biopsicosocial (Unusual Aerial Phenomena – A biopsychosocial approach), ed. Leuka, Buenos Aires, 1994, 140 pages.

I have this book since the  April 20, 2008, as a gift from Dr.Banchs, who was gracious to dedicate it to me, celebrating the many years both of us have been dealing with the UAP and our friendship.

Since them, I have read twice this book, and I owe Dr. Banchs an apology not to have mentioned his book before.

Sometimes, when you reach a book written decades before, you probably will read and keep it as a witness of the way people thought about the UAP at that particular time.

But in this case, this book is as fresh and as pertinent and valid as if it would have been written just now.

Contrary to what some prejudiced people could think, in any way Dr. Banchs takes the position that a biopsychosocial approach to the UAP explains everything and all.  As a matter of fact he talks about what he calls the polycausality of the phenomenon.

But, surely it makes us understand with great validity, the appropriate and unavoidable issue of the psychological and socio-cultural factors that along the years have contributed to the many ideas the general public has around the UAP subject.

If someone thinks about him/herserlf an expert on this issue, and rejects to consider this approach, I can categorically affirm that such a person does not know where he/she is standing.

It is absolutely impossible to deal seriously with the UAP without taking into consideration the vital and extremely important role played by the media from the very beginning of the issue.

The investigator, on the other hand, has to analyze with scientific criteria the witness.

And finally, no one can escape to the consideration of the triad witness-stimulus-report.

In all of these issues, the incidence of the social psychology is indispensable.

All this, is  precisely developed by Dr. Banchs in his excellent work.

I enthusiastically recommend the reading of this book. It is a must read!


Milton W. Hourcade