Jeffrey Kripal E A Impossibilidade Dos Ovnis: Entre Deuses, Almas E Tecnologia
Jeffrey Kripal proposes a radical reinterpretation of UFOs, viewing them not as advanced aerospace vehicles but as ontological events that blend the physical and spiritual realms. He argues that UFOs are simultaneously “real and impossible,” defying conventional scientific categories and the binary logic that separates material from immaterial, objective from subjective. This paradox challenges traditional investigative tools and risks rendering UFO phenomena unfalsifiable if "impossibility" becomes a catch-all explanation. Kripal reframes the popular UFO activism concept of “disclosure” as a secularized form of apocalyptic revelation, emphasizing mystical unveiling rather than mere political transparency—a stance that may dilute institutional accountability by shifting focus to esoteric meanings. His interdisciplinary approach draws on history of religions and mysticism to connect modern UFO experiences with ancient visionary phenomena, although he cautions against apophenia—the projection of unwarranted connections—to maintain academic rigor. He rejects the idea that UFO phenomena are strictly new or old, proposing instead that the phenomenon is a persistent presence adopting the symbolic language of each era; presently, technology shapes how these experiences are perceived and reported. This suggests that cultural lenses may filter or even shape encounters, raising questions about whether interaction is with an external intelligence or a complex cultural mirror. Central to Kripal’s thesis is the notion that UFOs manifest at the intersection of physics and spirituality, containing elements of consciousness or “psychic substance” beyond current scientific detection. This ontological fusion provokes a “ontological shock” in witnesses, disrupting their belief structures and potentially catalyzing consciousness evolution—but also posing psychological risks that should not be romanticized as merely spiritual awakenings. Kripal also explores an “ethics multidimensional” concept, positing that extraterrestrial intelligences might operate across multiple dimensions with moral frameworks that do not align with human notions of consent or harm, which complicates judgments about their intentions and raises concerns about moral relativism and human agency. His ongoing trilogy, The Super Story, strives to unify quantum physics, biology, and spirituality under a narrative linking UFO phenomenology to the survival of consciousness and the soul, updating Jungian archetypes with what he calls a “physics of the impossible.” He compares UFO camouflage behaviors to biomimicry in nature, highlighting the epistemic challenge that their elusiveness makes the hypothesis resistant to scientific refutation. Kripal’s philosophical sophistication elevates UFO discourse into existential and metaphysical realms, urging a reexamination of reality itself. Yet, this approach carries the danger of abandoning empirical rigor in favor of a quasi-theological framework, transforming UFOs from objects of science and defense into matters of faith. Ultimately, he invites questioning not what UFOs are, but what humanity is to perceive them as it does. This prompts reflection on whether current science possesses adequate tools to measure phenomena that transcend its conventional boundaries.
Source: substack.com
