Erich von Däniken

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Erich von Däniken is a fantasy/science-fiction writer, who has convinced himself and many others that his books are real and factual. Using his experience as the manager of a hotel, he wrote Chariots of the Gods? in 1968.^[1] He has gone on to write many more novels, providing hours of entertainment for rationalists everywhere. The majority of Von Däniken's claims are either not even wrong or fail Sagan's extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence test.

1 Chariots of the Gods?
2 The Gods Were Astronauts
3 Refutations
4 Difficult to refute
5 Footnotes
6 See also

[edit] Chariots of the Gods?

His first book, Chariots of the Gods?, claims, among other things, that aliens visited our planet thousands of years ago, and that we are descendents of these astronauts. He uses as "proof":

A map of the land beneath the ice of Antarctica
Computer astronomy from Egyptian and Incan ruins
A spaceport in the Andes
Ancient navigation charts for space.^[2]

The book is shot through with argument from incredulity, not-very-well-disguised racism, and lots of random made-up bullshit.

[edit] The Gods Were Astronauts

Written in 2002, this book follows the tradition of including the word "God" in the title and making fanciful claims while jumping to conclusions. Von Däniken suggests that all ancient religions and myths of gods come from ancient astronauts. Among his ideas:

“ The suggestion, based on a thorough examination of ancient texts, that alien beings employed high-tech vehicles in epic aerial battles. Compelling evidence that the Gods used awesome weapons of mass annihilation, both against themselves and humankind. A radical new interpretation of evolution on Earth that contradicts both established religions and modern science.^[3] ”

[Emphasis added]

[edit] Refutations

To read a page-by-page refutation of Chariots of the Gods?, go out and buy The Space Gods Revealed by Ronald Story, 1976. There are plenty of websites out there that debunk many of Von Däniken's other claims.

[edit] Difficult to refute

The main trouble with 'Chariots' is that it's so downright belly-achingly laughter-inducing that anyone trying to refute it soon becomes overcome with hysteria, with the result that the Dänikenites turn away with the smug realization that their cause is true. In addition, most readers agree with von Däniken's own claim that his work "contradicts...modern science" (see above).