Answering another example of THE FALLACY OF PROVING A NEGATIVE.
#2- "So I GUESS THAT ALL THOSE PEOPLE SAW A MIRAGE, OR DON'T KNOW WHAT AN AIRPLANE LOOKS LIKE. HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WASN'T A U.F.O FROM ANOTHER PLANET."
ANSWER- "IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO DISPROVE THE EXISTENCE OF ANYTHING, THERE MUST BE SUFFICIENT REASON TO CONCLUDE THAT THE SUBJECT MAY ACTUALLY BE A REALITY. VALID CONCLUSIONS, BASED UPON PREMISES THAT CAN BE TESTED, EXAMINED, FALSIFIED, AND ARE BACKED UP BY QUALITY EVIDENCE, MUST BE PRESENT FOR THERE TO EVEN BE A REASON TO DEBATE ITS EXISTENCE. EXTRATERRESTRIAL VEHICLES FROM OTHER WORLDS DO NOT MEET ANY OF THE ABOVE CRITERIA."
- "THEN WHAT DID THEY SEE? THEY ALL SAW THE SAME THING. ARE YOU SAYING THE WITNESSES ARE JUST DELUDED, CRAZY, OR JUST PLAIN LIARS?"
ANSWER- "I HAVE NEITHER SAID, NOR IMPLIED ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
JUDGING DISTANCES AND SHAPES CAN BE DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY SINCE WEATHER AND ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS CAN DISTORT IMAGES. ALSO, THE HUMAN MIND IS A COMPLEX MECHANISM. PAREIDOLIA IS A PROCESS BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL TRIES TO MAKE ORDER, OR COMPREHEND RANDOM PIECES OF INFORMATION IT PERCEIVES AND MAKE SENSE OF THEM. THIS CAN HAPPEN BY SIGHT OR SOUND. THIS IS WHY SOME OF US SEE FACES IN CLOUDS, THE MAN IN THE MOON, OR GHOSTLY APPARITIONS."
"YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER, THAT AS A MEMBER OF A GROUP, THERE IS OFTEN A TENDENCY TO SEE WHAT YOU EXPECT THE GROUP WANTS YOU TO SEE. IF A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TELL TO LOOK UP IN THE SKY TO SEE A FLYING SAUCER PASS BY, THERE IS OFTEN AN UNCONSCIOUS DESIRE TO FRAME WHAT YOU SEE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU ARE TOLD BEFOREHAND. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO RECALLING AN EVENT. IF THE INFLUENCE AMONG FELLOW WITNESSES IS STRONG AND INSISTENT THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE OPINION OF THE MAJORITY, OR A STRONG AUTHORITY FIGURE, YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSIONS MAY BE PUSHED ASIDE FOR FEAR OF CONFLICT, AND A DESIRE TO BELONG."
"HOWEVER, PERHAPS THE GREATEST INFLUENCE IS CULTURAL BIAS..."
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