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Forbidden Science 2
Personal diary of a scientist exploring the frontiers of research
550 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
18 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Jacques F. Vallée
66 books388 followersExcerpted from wikipedia: Jacques Fabrice Vallée (born September 24, 1939 in Pontoise, Val-d'Oise, France) is a venture capitalist, computer scientist, author, ufologist and former astronomer currently residing in San Francisco, California.
In mainstream science, Vallée is notable for co-developing the first computerized mapping of Mars for NASA and for his work at SRI International in creating ARPANET, a precursor to the modern Internet. Vallée is also an important figure in the study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), first noted for a defense of the scientific legitimacy of the extraterrestrial hypothesis and later for promoting the interdimensional hypothesis.
In mainstream science, Vallée is notable for co-developing the first computerized mapping of Mars for NASA and for his work at SRI International in creating ARPANET, a precursor to the modern Internet. Vallée is also an important figure in the study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), first noted for a defense of the scientific legitimacy of the extraterrestrial hypothesis and later for promoting the interdimensional hypothesis.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 24, 2018
I didn't realize this follow up to Forbidden Science (60-69) existed until a few months ago, and I was thrilled to discover it. In much the same as the first volume, we're supplied with a dreamlike stream of globe-trotting thoughts from an acute mind. Whether your interests lie in the paranormal, the technological, or the political (though in this volume far more tangential to the social movements in California than any larger scale movements in Washington), Vallee seems to have his fingers on the pulse of the decade with unique perspective.
As far as the paranormal goes, the unending conflict between investigators, scientists, government officials, spies, and the media remains mostly unchanged, and Vallee can at times come across a bit arrogant in his constant critique of the research aims and methods by his peers, but this sense is, I find, more due to the frustrating limitations the community either imposes on themselves or is imposed upon by either the government or the phenomena itself, and additionally in his stated purpose to avoid much documentation of his hard research in his journals, limiting himself to more general reflections. The decision essentially demands Vallee's journals be supplemented by his other work (which anyone who has gone along for the ride this far will likely have no qualms about). To consider each decade as almost a "season" of a television show, it's exciting to watch as Vallee's theories grow and change, and his focus unfolds into the flimsy world of New Age esotericism and the occult alongside the budding and mysterious surge of animal mutilations that swept the world in the latter half of the decade.
The experience of reading, itself, much like the first volume, is once again surreal, with the fabric of the times shifting between a blend of compelling insight into a time that birthed our present technological age and an echo of our own: Vallee, being on the frontier of the internet, spends much of the book traveling the world, keeping in touch with family and colleagues over email and instant messenger. One part juxtaposed and one part overlaid with our own times, it feels very real despite being so locked into "the future" in 2018. Perhaps all that's missing is a cellphone. No less, the backdrop of the collapse of the hippie movement and the Vietnam war (again, while less emphasized than the tumultuous politics of France in Vol 1) continues to remind the reader that history is indeed a cycle. If we don't see ourselves in the faces of the background characters in this volume, it's only because we've just grown out of the same place or are about to find ourselves within it again, probably having learned little.
As far as the paranormal goes, the unending conflict between investigators, scientists, government officials, spies, and the media remains mostly unchanged, and Vallee can at times come across a bit arrogant in his constant critique of the research aims and methods by his peers, but this sense is, I find, more due to the frustrating limitations the community either imposes on themselves or is imposed upon by either the government or the phenomena itself, and additionally in his stated purpose to avoid much documentation of his hard research in his journals, limiting himself to more general reflections. The decision essentially demands Vallee's journals be supplemented by his other work (which anyone who has gone along for the ride this far will likely have no qualms about). To consider each decade as almost a "season" of a television show, it's exciting to watch as Vallee's theories grow and change, and his focus unfolds into the flimsy world of New Age esotericism and the occult alongside the budding and mysterious surge of animal mutilations that swept the world in the latter half of the decade.
The experience of reading, itself, much like the first volume, is once again surreal, with the fabric of the times shifting between a blend of compelling insight into a time that birthed our present technological age and an echo of our own: Vallee, being on the frontier of the internet, spends much of the book traveling the world, keeping in touch with family and colleagues over email and instant messenger. One part juxtaposed and one part overlaid with our own times, it feels very real despite being so locked into "the future" in 2018. Perhaps all that's missing is a cellphone. No less, the backdrop of the collapse of the hippie movement and the Vietnam war (again, while less emphasized than the tumultuous politics of France in Vol 1) continues to remind the reader that history is indeed a cycle. If we don't see ourselves in the faces of the background characters in this volume, it's only because we've just grown out of the same place or are about to find ourselves within it again, probably having learned little.
October 17, 2023
I read volume 1 first, now with volume 2 the same happens again. Some interesting reflections on the UFO and parapsichological establishment, As in Volume 1, Volume 2 demonstrates how Vallee is judgmental, is absolutely full of idiosyncrasies, lashes James McDonald for very weak reasons, defends Hynek but exposes him by the same token, for lack of concentration and focus, which is absolutely true, Hynek seemed to be a very weak thinker with no originality whatsoever.
Vallee at some point admits that his work as a scientist must use only scientific instrumentation but his conclusions and the bulk of his "thought" is not informed by lab results but intuition, and he turns down his intuition over and over again taking so many silly tracks, and back paddling from his best work who was the Passport to Magonia. If one ignores the tons of arrogance and silliness then you can find some gems hidden away here and there.
The guy is full of himself and has stupendously stupid points as his bias against abductions and hypnoses but he also was the guy who gave the best theories to explain the UFO phenomenon as "the Control Group". Though he is not even coherent with this own explanation. Despite all his weak points he is a genius, no doubt about it.
Vallee at some point admits that his work as a scientist must use only scientific instrumentation but his conclusions and the bulk of his "thought" is not informed by lab results but intuition, and he turns down his intuition over and over again taking so many silly tracks, and back paddling from his best work who was the Passport to Magonia. If one ignores the tons of arrogance and silliness then you can find some gems hidden away here and there.
The guy is full of himself and has stupendously stupid points as his bias against abductions and hypnoses but he also was the guy who gave the best theories to explain the UFO phenomenon as "the Control Group". Though he is not even coherent with this own explanation. Despite all his weak points he is a genius, no doubt about it.
September 26, 2025
Un témoignage toujours aussi fascinant. Hâte de continuer ces mémoires avec le volume 3.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews