The Call Is Coming From Inside The House: James Madden on Belief, Doubt, and UFOs

Cosmosis [Formerly The UFO Rabbit Hole]

SpectreVision Radio

Social Sciences, Science, Society & Culture, Documentary

4.5 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 11 September 2025

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of Cosmosis, Kelly Chase and Jay Christopher King are joined by philosopher James Madden, author of Unidentified Flying Hyperobject: UFOs, Philosophy, and the End of the World. Jim has been part of this journey with us from the very beginning, appearing on The UFO Rabbit Hole podcast and in our docuseries Cosmosis: UFOs & A New Reality. Together, we take a hard look at the state of ufology and how belief, ideology, and language shape the way we think about the phenomenon. We ask tough questions: Has ufology become a kind of religion? What does it mean to practice good “epistemic hygiene” in a field so vulnerable to disinformation and self-deception? How can we avoid falling into old patterns of certainty while still honoring the mystery? This is a conversation about curiosity, responsibility, and the courage to sit with the unknown. Whether you’re new to the field or a long-time experiencer, Jim’s insights cut through the noise and remind us that sometimes the most important thing isn’t finding the answer—but learning to ask better questions. Music for Cosmosis is by Michael Rubino. The show is brought to you by SpectreVision Radio. ✨ Join the conversation and go deeper: Cosmosis Community on Patreon – ad-free episodes, monthly calls, private Discord, and more: CosmosisCommunity.com Cosmosis: UFOs & A New Reality – now streaming on Amazon, Apple TV, and multiple platforms: Cosmosis.Media Resources & References James D. Madden, Unidentified Flying Hyperobject: UFOs, Philosophy, and the End of the World: https://a.co/d/4F2Tpcl Watch Cosmosis: UFOs & A New Reality: https://www.cosmosis.media/ Join the Patreon: https://cosmosiscommunity.com Subscribe to Cosmosis: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Cosmosis.Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7KnyktIs059pbVdccD020D?si=f3835f36a8cb479d Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cosmosis-formerly-the-ufo-rabbit-hole/id1595590107 Follow Cosmosis X: https://x.com/cosmosis_media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/12EEyNVPucu/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosmosis.media Listen to the Cosmosis Soundtrack by Michael Rubino: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5Xvs2NAHNbKjfW7hWkjqey?si=pJPPgIPsRZGkZjJh19UULQ Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/cosmosis-ufos-a-new-reality-season-one-original-soundtrack/1788465117 Amazon: https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DS5WY5CB?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_zY05XPzhLhuow5dAgK3g2W9yC TIMESTAMPS 04:57 The Evolution of Ufology: A Personal Perspective 07:37 Ufology as a Religion: Belief and Skepticism 14:15 The Hero's Journey in Ufology 29:59 Challenges in Ufology: Secrecy and Belonging 34:43 Navigating Blind Spots in Public Discourse 36:32 The Illusion of Ease in Public Engagement 37:42 The Trap of Daily Grind and Outrage Cycles 40:02 Questioning the UFO Narrative 44:13 Skepticism and Authority in the UFO Community 46:33 The Role of Media and Public Perception 54:02 Positive Aspects of Ufology 56:15 The Power of Unanswerable Questions 59:05 Maintaining Intellectual Sovereignty 01:04:31 Concluding Thoughts and Gratitude Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You live your whole life and then in one second you learn what it's like for primal terror to swallow you, mind and body.
0:16.0	He was standing in the hallway, lit only on his left side by the bulb.
0:26.5	Just as he appeared in the photograph I'd found, he was very small, much shorter than his
0:32.3	brother, my father, Eric. The family had said he'd always been boy-faced and a bit skinny. Now, standing
0:40.9	there, he looked old and sick as well. But he looked angry, too. Not for a moment that I think
0:49.7	he was alive, and some terrible mistake had been made. I knew instinctively that he was not really there, that I was looking at Herman in the depleted
1:00.5	physical state he had died in.
1:04.0	He was wrong, he said again, his whole body trembling slightly.
1:09.6	He jabbed his finger toward me, almost in tears.
1:13.7	I could have been a chemist.
1:15.6	I had the grades.
1:18.3	I think I tried to speak then, but it was stable.
1:22.3	Uncle Herman kept his finger pointed in a threatening way,
1:26.6	as if it were up to me to change the past.
1:30.6	He turned with creaky slowness and took a couple of steps deeper into the hallway, toward the kitchen,
1:37.7	leaving all light behind him, becoming a silhouette.
1:41.5	He turned back just before he reached the threshold of the other room. His face was a
1:46.8	black blur, but his voice was still clear. There's a fourth body, you know, he said, voice,
1:54.9	hoarse. Shovel still in the shed.
2:02.7	Knife Point Horror.
2:08.9	Tales of supernatural suspense written, produced and narrated by Soren Narnia.
2:15.2	Now transmitting from Spector Vision Radio, anywhere you hear podcasts. Shephavis. Anywhere You Hear Podcasts.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from SpectreVision Radio, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of SpectreVision Radio and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.