Cryptozoology...?

[Hade Keikoku]

Okay I've heard of this before, but I'm not really for sure of what it is. I think it's the study of mythological creatures....is that right? If you know anything about cryptozoology....wha t it is, or where I can go to study it and all that....let me know. Thank you.

[DarkWolf]

Okay I've heard of this before, but I'm not really for sure of what it is. I think it's the study of mythological creatures....is that right? If you know anything about cryptozoology....wha t it is, or where I can go to study it and all that....let me know. Thank you.
What it is: http://dictionary.reference .com/search?q=cryptozoolo gy

Where you can study:

Google.com (http://www.google.com)
A library.

[Hade Keikoku]

Thanks...I thought that's what it was. But do you know of any Colleges that has classes on it?

[Aeolus]

Thanks...I thought that's what it was. But do you know of any Colleges that has classes on it?

There aren't any. Scientists don't like it and most refuse to even refer to it as an actual study. For awhile, the scientific community was trying to be more open minded, but those days are gone and dead.

[Hade Keikoku]

That's too bad. I wish there was a way I can study it without having to do it alone, have a professor of somesort ya'know?

[DarkWolf]

Firstly, Aereolous, you're a bit wrong as there ARE colleges which offer lectures or training programs on Cryptozoology such as Flamel Online College (http://www.flamelcollege.or g/index.html) or the Highline Community College (http://flightline.highline. edu/scienceseminars/07Fall/) (scroll down to November 9). Not much or many but to say "there aren't any" is a bit of an exaggeration.

Anyway, Hade Keikoku, it is rare for places to study it since Cryptozoology isn't something you can readily get certificate in (of much worth, anyway) and is not a specifically created field - it is a mixture of current scientific methods mixed in for a particular goal.

The common route for studying cryptozoology is to study areas like: biology, psychology, zoology and anthropology. Then read books on cryptozoology. That's it. That's all cryptozoology is as far as academic is concerned. The rest is buying some photographic equipment and going into woods and spending a lot of time camping and applying learned scientific knowledge into trying to ascertain a good place where sightings are going to appear and trying to picture other's experiences into something that can visualise the creature's anatomy and how to find it.

Ultimately most of the scientific community tends to shrug at the subject. Not because they devalue it as a scientific process as Aereolus says (it employs all the same scientific processes and analytical methods as other sciences) but rather because of the pointless ness of it. People have been trying to find these creatures for a very long time even though most were born from sightings of ignorant people or from faked videos and doctored photos. It's seen as a useless endeavour.

It's just like the whole "people only use 10% of the brain so we must have psychic powers in the other 90% thing" - the initial tests to provide such a a statement was false, as admitted by the guy who made the tests. Further analysis with new understanding has lead to this statement being false. Yet you will still hear some people using it as some justification for their reasoning in trying to prove psychic phenomenon. Cryptozoologists are like those people - the photos and videos they're using for justifying their endeavours has been proven false or admitted to being fake by the people who made those videos and photographs - yet there are cryptozoologists still using it as a reason to continue.

It's also like the army of kids who come to this site claiming they are werewolves who howl at the moon and shapeshift into superbeasts.

A fascinating subject, no doubt, but nothing that major academia regards as useful so there's little towards learning or getting qualified in it.

Besides, anything any college or university can teach you, you're able to learn on your own by just reading and thinking. It may easier or harder depending on your predisposition but it's possible. Point is, if you're interested in the subject then just go to your library and read about it. You're likely to be reading the same materials a university or college would ask you to read and learn from anyway. You may want a professor but if there's none in your area then tough - just go read and learn it that way.

Cryptozoology isn't a specific science. It's the topics I mentioned mixed together. Cryptozoology is a coined phrase for a made-up subject not an academic one so I don't recommend getting your hopes up about having a professor teach it to you. Most cryptozoologists never had one, so you'd be one of exceptionally few if you ever did.

[MorganaFang]

Firstly, Aereolous, you're a bit wrong as there ARE colleges which offer lectures or training programs on Cryptozoology


There actually are A LOT of colleges that offer Cryptozoology as a course for study (it's more or less an elective class and usually just a "fun" class offered merely for achieving credit not working towards a degree) , if not a student can always propose an independent study as well.

[Aeolus]

There actually are A LOT of colleges that offer Cryptozoology as a course for study (it's more or less an elective class and usually just a "fun" class offered merely for achieving credit not working towards a degree) , if not a student can always propose an independent study as well.

Wait a minute, can you earn a degree in Cryptozoology?

All I know is that it is a very shamed study in the scientific field from what research I have done.

Here is a link from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptozoology

[DarkWolf]

Wait a minute, can you earn a degree in Cryptozoology?

All I know is that it is a very shamed study in the scientific field from what research I have done.

Here is a link from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptozoology
People really need to learn before trusting anything on wikipedia, especially when majority of the pages have "citation needed" on them like the one you just linked to. Of course it is trustworthy though.

Oh my goodness, somebody's but "this is bullshit" beside a citation-less and factless paragraph. But it's a trustworthy page so why is there suddenly a contradiction?! Wonder who could have invalidated such awesome trustworthiness of a site editable by anyone with a keyboard and internet access?! :eek:

:rolleyes:

And no, Aereolus, I'm doubting you can earn a degree in it which is precisely what Morg stated with the "just a "fun" class" and "not working towards a degree".

*sighs*

[Aeolus]

People really need to learn before trusting anything on wikipedia, especially when majority of the pages have "citation needed" on them like the one you just linked to. Of course it is trustworthy though.

Oh my goodness, somebody's but "this is bullshit" beside a citation-less and factless paragraph. But it's a trustworthy page so why is there suddenly a contradiction?! Wonder who could have invalidated such awesome trustworthiness of a site editable by anyone with a keyboard and internet access?! :eek:

:rolleyes:

That would have been slightly humorous had it been written more legibely.

And no, Aereolus, I'm doubting you can earn a degree in it which is precisely what Morg stated with the "just a "fun" class" and "not working towards a degree".

She said 'usually', I wanted to know what that meant.

Also open-content sources are supposed to be more reliable than what might be expected. Mods clean up information that is thought to be inacurrate pretty quickly. People who know what they are talking about get on there, too, you know. The lack of citation doesn't make it all unreliable by default. Most websites don't seem to have any, or they do and still give obviously false accounts.

[Tempest]

People who know what they are talking about get on there, too, you know. The lack of citation doesn't make it all unreliable by default.

Lol.
I can't wait to see you in college.

[DarkWolf]

That would have been slightly humorous had it been written more legibely.I got one letter wrong. Wow. You spelled "legibly" wrong. If you found that illegible then I think you need to try and take an English class.

She said 'usually', I wanted to know what that meant.You are so clueless it's almost endearing. Think of it this way: if people can get a PhD in Air Guitar would not be feasible to get a qualification in something that actually employs science? I doubt many places offer a PhD in Air Guitar but it has been done before. Likewise, many colleges that would offer cryptozoology would not have a qualification ready to hand to students for it. Still the unlikelihood of such an event does not mean it is impossible and there does remain a large possibility that some college, somewhere, offers a qualification for it. This and such circumstances warrant "usually" or some other such phrasing rather than an ignorant "never". Since this is based on the actual meaning of the word "usually" I'd have thought this would have been the automatic interpretation. Clearly, I overestimated your ability to understand basic English.

As for Wikipedia, you trust it if you wish. I prefer what I learn from tutors and scientists directly rather than a website any casual surfer can edit as they please. I also fail to see why "scientific communities" would shun cryptozoology. It's just a scientist using scientific methods to investigate stories and sightings and either proving or disproving them. Regular "non-shunned" scientists do this everyday to find new species of creature - and they have even less material to go on. The basis behind some justifications for some cryptozoologists have been flaky or pathetic at best but others do have a valid point. I can understand the scientific community not having all that much enthusiasm for the subject but I can't see why it would be shunned. Especially since it's taught or labelled as part of scientific seminars and classes.

I first learned about the existence of cryptozoology when I was still in high school - you'd have been about five years old then going by your profile - from a respected biology professor. So it's hard for me - who has only ever learned about cryptozoology from scientific sources - to understand somebody saying something to the effect of 'scientific community shuns cryptozoology'. :shrug:

[sai-fujiwara]

Here is a link from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptozoology

:eek:

Buddy, I'm sorry... but I lost respect for you.

[Aeolus]

:eek:

Buddy, I'm sorry... but I lost respect for you.

You can't lose what was never there.

[Tempest]

You can't lose what was never there.

God you are starting to really irritate me. I have no problem with you other than the fact that you are so set on the delusion that every hates you. You know what? If you think everyone hates you, LEAVE. PLEASE. It's better than reading your pathetic "I know you hate me" posts....spare us all.

[Aeolus]

God you are starting to really irritate me. I have no problem with you other than the fact that you are so set on the delusion that every hates you. You know what? If you think everyone hates you, LEAVE. PLEASE. It's better than reading your pathetic "I know you hate me" posts....spare us all.


I'm not leaving and I dont think that everyone hates me. In truth, you've probably only had to read two posts like that recently, which is not much considering that I'm not the only person who has posted something quite like what you siggest.

[Tempest]

In truth, you've probably only had to read two posts like that recently, which is not much considering that I'm not the only person who has posted something quite like what you siggest.

Ok first of all is it really that hard to spell? "Siggest"? Second of all you forgot a key part...those 2 "I know you hate me" posts were in a span of 3 days. It would not have been irritating had I not literally just read an "I need attention" post written by you. And are those other claimed posters around still? Name one who is an active member of the boards who cries like that. Maybe I'm not reading the right forums who knows. Your act isn't cute to me, it's just annoying. I'm not a mod, I can only make requests, but I'd like to "siggest" you either cut the bullshit or leave and come back when you grow up. Or don't come back. Either one is fine with me.

[DarkWolf]

Before the kiddy squabbles incur the wrath of the cyber-almighty perhaps we could all play nice and get the fluffiest of all crapfluffs back on topic? If you want to peddle the pisstext try doing so privately with those odd things ambiguously named "private messages".

[Aeolus]

:eek:

Buddy, I'm sorry... but I lost respect for you.


I still don't understand why it's so dangerous to use a source from wikipedia without a citation. No one has even pointed out to me where the article is inaccurate.