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Atlantis Research Charter.pdf
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Why an Atlantis Research Charter?
Plato’s Atlantis is generally regarded to be an irrational and irrelevant issue, that only eccentric and mystic people are dealing with. Professional scientists mostly hurry to dismiss Atlantis dogmatically as an invention of Plato and to stigmatize Atlantis researchers a priori as charlatans and weirdos, since they believe this to be the only way to distinguish themselves from the existing pseudo-scientific contributors to Plato’s Atlantis.
This atmosphere heavily complicates a reasonable reflection on questions regarding the Atlantis issue and is not acceptable with respect to science. The Atlantis Research Charter wants to be a contribution to remedy this conflict.
What can be the contribution of the Atlantis Research Charter?
The Atlantis Research Charter tries to give a definition of Atlantis research and expresses what it stands for resp. what it opposes. Thus the Charter provides an area for the free development of reason secured by clear frontiers which cannot be crushed any more by pseudo-science and dogmatism.
The Charter provides to Atlantis researchers a public point of reference supporting them to present themselves straightforwardly and to quickly clear up misunderstandings and prejudices. In the public the Atlantis Research Charter can create awareness of the current problems in dealing with Plato’s Atlantis, promote the ability to distinguish between reasonable and irrational arguments, and thus the Charter can lead to an increased level of confidence and interest in Atlantis research.
A clear demarcation of pseudo-scientific handling of Atlantis can in turn encourage even more professional scientists to reconsider the possibility of the existence of Plato’s Atlantis. The Charter supports Atlantis researchers in their communication by providing common definitions and by developing a community with common values and objectives. Opponents of the Charter's values and objectives are put on the defensive.
Which contribution can the individual Atlantis researcher make towards the Charter’s success?
The Atlantis Research Charter is a publicly offered text. There is no society, no membership and no collection of signatures. It is left to every single researcher to express individually his attitude towards the Atlantis Research Charter. Since there is no membership nobody can be prevented to express his compliance with the Charter, even if he misunderstood the Charter's intentions.
The Atlantis Research Charter was originally initiated by Thorwald C. Franke, http://www.atlantis-scout.de/, Ulrich Hofmann, http://www.platons-insel-atlantis.de/, Ulf Richter, Christian M. Schoppe and Siegfried G. Schoppe, http://www.black-sea-atlantis.com/. The initiators support the process of stimulation and improvement of Atlantis research started at the International Conference Atlantis 2005 on Milos, Greece, http://milos.conferences.gr/?Atlantis2005