McDonald’s courage in opposing the US government’s dismissal of the UFO issue as scientifically significant should act as a template for everyone who calls themselves a scientist and/or who claims to be a (sound) sceptic.
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| James E. McDonald (1920 - 1971), circa 1950. |
His dedication and courage in pursuing the truth of the stigmatised UFO subject is inspiring. At the same time, tragic, since all the opposition he met from fellow scientists and politicians took a toll on him. James Edward McDonald took his own life in 1971; whether it was suicide is still an open question, according to some researchers.
I will not compose a biography of the life of James E. McDonald and his resolution transforming the UFO phenomenon into a valid matter for science and public conversation. Because there already exists an excellent biography, The Firestorm: Dr McDonald's Fight for UFO Science (2003) by Ann Druffell.
Instead, this post is a way for me to express appreciation for a human being who followed his instincts, his inquisitiveness, and who thoroughly employed the scientific method of uncovering the truth about reality no matter how that truth may be.
In a previous blog post, you can read about two current scientists' proposal to use McDonald's paper “Science in Default” as a template for a scientific approach to study UFOs.
However, I do not want to romanticise McDonald’s search for the truth and struggle to make the UFO phenomenon a legitimate scientific topic. His intense dedication — bordering on obsession or mania (?) — had devastating consequences for himself and his loved ones.