A former U.S. Army colonel, Dr. John B. Alexander served in key positions in Special Forces, Intelligence, and Research & Development. Joining Los Alamos National Laboratory, he introduced Non-Lethal Defense for which he is an internationally recognized expert. Later he attended the Harvard JFK School of Government Senior Executive Program on National and International Security, served as an advisor to Afghanistan Minister of Defense and senior officials, and recently was with the U.S. Army Science Board. Having traveled to remote areas of every continent on earth, he has studied a wide range of phenomena. He is the author of several books and many articles on international security issues and phenomenology. Currently a Senior Fellow with the U.S. Joint Special Operations University, his eclectic activities include being a Councilor for the Society for Scientific Exploration and a Board Member of IRVA.
John B. Alexander, Ph.D.
Presentations
IRVA 2020 – IRVA Founders Panel
The International Remote Viewing Association was founded in March, 1999 by a group of some of the most influential figures from both the scientific and applications sides of the field. This panel discussion will be led by several of those early founders, discussing a range of topics – from the past, present, and future of remote viewing, to questions raised by our conference attendees. Truly a highlight of the 2020 conference!
IRVA 2018 – The Department of Defense and UFOs Redux
In December 2017 the New York Times broke the news about a classified UFO program that had been conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Concurrently announced was the creation of a new organization called To The Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences (TTSAAS). Headed by a rock star, Tom DeLonge, it boasted a stellar cast of former U.S. government intelligence executives and scientists, all of whom had an interest in UFOs.
Long before Senator Harry Reid was able to earmark funding for the DIA project, I ran a similar effort for several years in the 1980s. Participants all had Top Secret/SCI level clearances. They came from all DOD Services, the Intelligence Community, and civilian aerospace companies. Despite the funds available for the more recent DIA program, it appears that the fundamental findings were the same. Key is the fact that although nobody is in charge or has institutional responsibility for this area, credible, multisensory events were documented displaying physical characteristics and capabilities that defy all known human technology. While the recent DIA study did add to the body of knowledge, their lack of transparency has fostered considerable angst amongst the UFO community. The technical and organizational observations during the prior study will be compared with those revealed though the efforts of TTSAAS.
This presentation also addresses other aspects of the study of UFOs. Specifically, what is the appropriate role of the U. S. Government in studying this topic? As global phenomena, sightings by U.S. Government agencies represent a tiny, but significant, portion of recorded events. What DoD does have are a variety of advanced sensors, some of which they choose to keep as classified. The UFO community has little understanding of how these complex institutions function, while the issue of unnecessary secrecy further invigorates their confabulations.
Covered will be the critical factors facing senior government officials with fiduciary responsibilities in funding any project with little probability of demonstrable return on investment. This includes the zero-sum game that befalls all programs, including those in the black world, the use of contractors to hide reports from FOIA requests, and the impact of personal belief systems on these studies.
As funding is signal issue, a comparative analysis will be made between money and resources available for studies of UFOs and related phenomena and those afforded more conventional, intrinsically complex problems such as AIDS, cancer, or the fundamental physics search for elusive God Particle.
IRVA 2018 – Remembering Jim Channon
In this brief presentation, John Alexander recalls the legacy of "First Earth Battalion" creator Jim Channon, who passed away in September of 2017.
IRVA 2009 – Shamanism, Near-Death Experiences, and Remote Viewing
This presentation will address commonalities found in shamans around theworld with the phenomenology of both near-death experiences (NDEs) andremote viewing practices. In particular, it will address the ingestionof ayahuaska in shamanic ceremonies in the Peruvian Amazon region, andelsewhere, and the states that are induced. This presentation builds onsimilar talks given at the International Shamanic Conference in Iquitos,Peru in 2008, and at the annual conference of the InternationalAssociation for Near-Death Studies that same year.
My personal observation of shamans extends far beyond the Westernhemisphere and includes every continent on earth excluding theuninhabited Antarctic. Of importance is the underlying philosophy andworld views of indigenous peoples that seem to easily accommodate humanexperiences that remain controversial, and even befuddle Westernscientists. The root of these experiences often have evoked socialconstraints by religions and governments alike, while pharmaceuticalcompanies have engaged in what has become known as biopiracy to obtainthe organic secrets vested in uneducated, yet biochemicallysophisticated healers. Explored will be the similarities, anddifferences, between states induced in shamanic rituals and those ofspontaneous NDEs and willful remote viewing.
IRVA 2004 – Stepping Back: Discovering the Nature of Phenomenology
Five decades of personal observation of various phenomena have provided tantalizing clues, but no resolution as to the nature of each. This presentation suggests it is time to reevaluate these diverse topics. This process should begin by divesting investigators of the delimiting parameters that each phenomenon has established. Experience has shown that definitions are frequently prematurely established, leading to the potential exclusion of data necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.
The recommended approach would assemble a comprehensive list of as many observations of anomalous incidents as possible, albeit without attribution of values. This will be difficult as scientists have a tendency to begin all investigations by establishing the limits of their area of study so that the study may be adequately bounded. While bounding may work in most areas of science, I argue that this is exactly the reason why so little progress has been made in studying phenomenology.
Once the observations have been posted, commonalities should be identified regardless of origin. Macro-pattern analysis should then be applied to determine inter and intra-disciplinary common factors. The hypothesis is that previously undisclosed patterns will emerge and provide the underpinnings of an interdisciplinary study that may yield answers to many of anomalous observations. It is further recommended that this process be initiated in an intensive, sequestered environment that facilitates comprehensive interaction between participants.
Stepping back infers the ability of observers to disassociate themselves from preconceived notions about each phenomenon and explore for more fundamental themes that may be discovered.
IRVA 2002 – The Ultimate Conspiracy
From Remote Viewing to Mind Control is one short step for those steeped in the conspiracy theories that abound today. Can remote viewers read your mind or implant thoughts? Did “the Government” cover up Saddam’s use of biological agents during Desert Storm? Did they orchestrate the Oklahoma City bombing followed by the attacks on the World Trade Center? Are they routinely kidnapping people for sinister psychological experimentation?
If you are going be involved with phenomena such as remote viewing, you’d better understand conspiracy theory because you are part of it.
IRVA 2001 – Remote Viewing, Science, and You
There is a paradox. Science (in general) does not believe in remote viewing. Many people do believe in remote viewing. People who study remote viewing want to talk with scientists. They often do not want to talk with the general public. Scientists do not want to talk with those who study remote viewing. The general public does want to hear about remote viewing. What’s wrong with this picture???
And then there is the Fourth Estate. Where does the media get their information? Are there really two sides to every story? Who are the Scientists? The Nuts? The Skeptics? And how did they get to be proclaimed as such? Ergofusion explains a lot of these problems.
