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Scientific Atlantology

What is Atlantology?

Atlantology is the study of Atlantis.

In the early 1900’s, many of the respected sciences of today were still in kindergarten, but over time, trial and error, these struggling sciences evolved and established an acceptable framework for studying our universe and its contents.

Atlantology always was — and still is — a science of cooperation, in that scholars in many diverse fields, including anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, biology, cartography, classical literature, diffusionism, Egyptology, geography, geology, history, Hoerbiger’s Theory, linguistics, mathematics, metaphysics, mythology, oceanography, and religion, all contribute to the subject.

Unfortunately, early in its development, Atlantology was kidnapped by occultists and spiritualists, and the world of science, wrestling with their own growing pains, merely looked over their shoulders, shrugged, and kept single-mindedly moving forward. It was survival of the fittest in the big bad world, and the underdeveloped Atlantology was forced to remain in the dust for almost a century. It was well known that the study of Atlantology would endanger one’s reputation as a scientist.

The legend of the lost continent of Atlantis is the most fascinating story which man has ever known...Over two-thousand separate books and articles have been written about it; there have been Atlantean Societies and magazines. Several motion pictures have been based on it, and expeditions have searched for it on sea and land.

Atlantologists must critically examine even the obviously fantastic ideas which have no scientific basis, in order to establish whether or not they contain; however small, a grain of truth. It must be remembered that in ancient times, much knowledge formed part of the ritual mysteries of the initiated and was handed down by work of mouth as secret teaching. It is possible that some fragments of this esoteric knowledge, even if greatly distorted and modernized in form, has survived to this day.

In 1959, Arthur Louis Joquel II stated, "The legend of the lost continent of Atlantis is the most fascinating story which man has ever known. The theme of the great island in the Atlantic Ocean, which was destroyed with all of its people and its wealth in a single day and night of earthquake and flood, has for several thousand years intrigued everyone who heard it. Heated argument and debate has raged over whether Atlantis ever really existed or not, and if so, where and how long ago. Over two-thousand separate books and articles have been written about it; there have been Atlantean Societies and magazines. Several motion pictures have been based on it, and expeditions have searched for it on sea and land."

Yet Atlantology is a science — not a science as an already acquired fact — but a science as an aim towards which scientific researches are being directed. Among Atlantologists, coordination and cooperation among specialists of many diverse disciplines is essential and absolutely imperative.

Methodology

The Method of Atlantology involves the establishment of an agreed upon set of problems regarding Atlantis; a method of research; and the kinds of sought after proofs or arguments in the solution to the problems. Early Atlantologists agreed that research should be directed towards:

  1. Proof of the historical existence of Atlantis, and evaluate the possibilities of direct archaeological knowledge about Atlantis.
  2. Proof of the geography and geology of Atlantis; the time and circumstances of its disappearance; and the effects of its disappearance.
  3. Proof of the level of civilization attained by Atlantean inhabitants and their influence on the remaining continents.
(These points are discussed in detail in the following articles:)
  • Atlantis (AT #7) 1949 April/May Vol. 2 No. 1: A Scientific Approach To The Study Of Atlantis by Father P.N. Zammit
  • Atlantis (AT #69) 1959 October/November Vol. 12 No. 6: Scientific Atlantology. Its Paths And Problems by Dr. N. Th. Zhirov

Scientific Opinion of Atlantology

The following is from a journal article:

In 1966, C.C.M. Hardy endeavored to translate Atlantean research into a methodological form suitable for the setting up of a University Chair either in the USA or Western Europe. Sykes felt that the Soviets would be most likely. Hardy proposed a basic outline which consisted of the systematic examination of ancient records (including myth, legend, and folklore) and modern records (including known Egyptian, Hindu, Hebraic, and other religious material) for clues, and the search for archaeological and geological evidence, which would lead to the preparation of a final record covering both geophysical and related historic events in chronological sequence.

Sykes stated in The Hardy Hypothesis in the March 1966 issue of Atlantis, "We must face up to the fact that Atlantis is unacceptable to most universities simply because it demands a readjustment of academic ideas which is outside their capacity or desire. The next point is that while it is too sensational for the scholastic world, it is not sufficiently so for the popular press except on rare occasions... until that situation can be remedied there is no prospect of the Hardy idea finding root.”

Sykes listed four main reasons why Atlantis was not accepted as historical fact:

  1. Greek stories of Gods, heroes, and men are considered religious fiction instead of distorted versions of real history.
  2. No one wants to rewrite large chunks of prehistory so there is unwillingness among scholars to recast ideas on the historical background of cultures in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and its adjacent continents of Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
  3. Academic circles do not want to deal with those in the occult fields.
  4. Western Science is overspecialized so important connections between sciences are not made.

Have times changed?

Is the world open to giving Atlantology a second chance?

You be your own judge.

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