Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

2, De fini bon of an UFD
1\n unidentified flying ubject (UFO, pronounced OOFO) :,5 here
defined as the stimulus fo~ ~ report m~de by one or more individuals of
something seen in the sky (or an object thought to be capable of flight
but seen when landed on the earth) which the observer could not identify
as having an ordinary nt'tural origin, and which seemed to him suffi-
ciently puzzling that he undertook to make a 'report of it to police, to
government officials, to the press, or pE:Thaps to a representative of a
private organization devoted to the study of such objects.
Defined in this way, there is no question as to the existence oE
UFOs, because UFO reports exist in fairly linge numbers, and the stim-
ulus for each report is, by this definition, an UFO. The prcblem then
becomes that of learning to recognize th0 various kinds of stimuli that
give rise to UFO reports.
The UFO is "the stimulus for a report . . " This language
refrains from saying whether thp. reported object was a real, physical,
material thing, or a visual impression of an ordinary physical thing
di$tortcd by atmL~spheric conditions or by faulty vision so as to Le un-
recognizable, or whether it was a purely m~nta] delusion existjng in
the mir,j of the observer wi thout an accompanyi ng visual stimulus.
l~e definition includes insincere reports in which the alleged
si ghter undertakes for I.;hatever reason to decd ve. In the case of a
delusion, the reporter is not aware of the IJck of a visual stimulus.
In the case of a deception, the reporter k~1OWS that he is not telling
the truth ahout his alleged experience.
The words "\~hjch he could mIt identify . ," are of crucial
importallce. The stimulus gives rise to an !J!"O report precisely because
the observC'1' could not identj fy the tlJi ng ~'ccn. II \.;oman and her husband
reported a strange thill); seen flying in the ~k/' and reported quite
correctly that ~hc knew "it was unidentificJ lwcause nCl~'her of lIS biew
~'hat it wa!"."
The thing 5eCIl und reported may ]l<lVe been an object as commonplace
2. Definition of an UFI!
An unidentified flying object (UIU, pronounced OOFO) ~s here
defined as the stimulus fo!' ;). report made by one or more in,! i viduals of
something seen in the sky (or an object thought to be capable of flight
but seen wt,cn landed on the earth) which the (Jbserver could not identi fy
as having :m ordinary nrtural origin, and which seemed to him suffi-
ciently puzzlinR that he undertook to make a 'ceport of 1t to police, to
governnlent officials, to the press, or pt~haps to a representative of a
priv::lte organization devoted to the study of such objects.
Defined in this way, there is no question as to the existence c:
UFOs, because UFO reports exist ill fairly laJ'ge numbers, and the stim-
ulus for each report is, by this definition, an UFO. The prchlem then
becomes that of learning to recognize th0 various kinds of stimuli that
give rise to UFO reports.
The UFO is "the stimulus for a report . . " This language
refrains from saying whether thl:' reported object wa~ a real, physical,
material thing. or a visual impression of an ordinary physical thing
di;:,tortcd by atml'spheric conditions or by fa.ul ty vision so as to Le un-
recognizable, or whether it was a purely mental uelusion existing in
the mi~j of the observer without an accompanying visual stimulu~.
l~e definition includes insincere reports in which the ulleged
sighter undertakes for ,,,hatever reason to decd ve. In the case of a
delusion, the reporter 15 not Rware of the lJck of 3 visual stimulus.
In the case of a deception, the reporter k~lOWS that he is n()t telling
the truth ahout his alleRed experience.
The words ",~hj ch h(' CQuld nnt idcnti fy .. " <Irc of crucial
imj1ortallce. The ~ti1l11111ls gives rise to <In 111"0 r'cpurt precisely because
the ouscrvol' could not identify the thing ~;ccn. A loJoman and her husband
reported a strange thill;: seen flying in the skI' and rep(wtcd qui tc
correctly that she knew "it was unidentified l)('cau~e !lcl~:her of 1IS :~new
~that. it wa~.l1
The thing seen und reported may ilave been an object as commonplace