Introduction

Abstract

In his 2011 book The Believing Brain, cognitive psychologist Michael Shermer relates the true story of Joseph Firmage, once CEO of the financially successful Internet company USWeb. From 1997 onwards, Firmage has publicly defended the view that the history of humanity has been decisively influenced by contact with benevolent extraterrestrial beings. Firmage has since invested considerable energy and vast sums of money in projects such as the International Space Sciences Organization and Project Kairos, which are devoted to the exploration of alien technology for the benefit of mankind.¹ Once, when rhetorically asking himself why an ambitious young CEO would risk his reputation on something so fantastic, Firmage promptly replied: “Because I believe so much in this theory!”² It seems difficult to question the credentials of this explanation. Firmage’s story presents us with strong evidence as to the extreme power that a set of beliefs may hold over their bearer and the force that believers may exert on the world around them in virtue of the beliefs they hold.