Concept
Loch Ness Monster
Overview
The Loch Ness Monster (Scottish Gaelic: Uilebheist Loch Nis), known affectionately as Nessie, is a mythical creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or more humps protruding from the water. Popular interest and belief in the creature has varied since it was brought to worldwide attention in 1933. Evidence of its existence is anecdotal, with a number of disputed photographs and sonar readings.
The scientific community explains alleged sightings of the Loch Ness Monster as hoaxes, wishful thinking, the misidentification of known animals, mundane objects, and other recognized natural phenomena. The pseudoscience and subculture of cryptozoology has placed particular emphasis on the creature.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
Those who inhabit the frontiers of Finland, have adopted some of the expressions of their neighbours, as happens to every people: but when two nations give to things of common use, to objects which are continually before their eyes, names absolutely different, it affords a strong presumption, that one of them is not a colony from the other. The Finlanders call a bear Karu, the Laplanders Muriet: the sun in the…
Voltaire, The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia
States what Loch Ness Monster is.
The Hindus worship the serpent, and have set apart a day in the year (_Nagapanchami_) for that purpose. They suppose that the earth is supported by the great serpent Sesha. God Vishnu is called _Seshasayee_, as he is supposed to sleep on the Serpent-God; and God Siva is supposed to have a garland of serpents round his neck! We say that such and such a thing cannot be described even by the thousand-tongued Adisesha…
Mahatma Gandhi, A Guide to Health
States what Loch Ness Monster is.
But it is so, that the Scriptures in general make mention only of the greater fishes. The mention of "leviathan" and of "dragons" in the Book of Job, and in other places of the Scriptures is well known. It is certain however that all the large sea-monsters are called by the name, "whales;" some of which have wings as the dolphin, the king of fishes. Not however because it exceeds all other fishes in size. For the…
Martin Luther, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1
States what Loch Ness Monster is.
Philosophers who discussed Loch Ness Monster
Related ideas
- Guinness World Records
- The Independent
- BBC News
- Greenland
- Iceland
- Hagiography
- The Wall Street Journal
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Columbia University Press
- The Guardian
- Norway
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Pseudoscience
- Scotland
- Scientific American
- The New York Times
- Cambridge
- New Scientist
- Canada
- Columbia University
- DNA
- University of Otago
- Wishful thinking
Place in the tradition
Part of Ontology.