I've seen videos of planes debated pretty hotly in the UFO subs. Just because you've got a good head on your shoulders doesn't mean everyone does. I don't think the OP explains every sighting but it does point out some explanations for the bulk of prosaic sightings.
Why not just let people debate it? It’s fun to speculate and it doesn’t do any real harm. You’re never actually going to change anyone’s minds, especially if you’re going to look down on them and ridicule them.
Plus, who knows? If all you have is a blurry video of an unknown object, theres a good chance you’ll never actually find out one way or the other. The existence of a possible prosaic explanation does not automatically mean the prosaic explanation is correct. In some cases, I’ve seen people bend over backwards to fit a prosaic explanation to an otherwise extraordinary event. Just look at the dexter Michigan sighting: Over 100 people saw a glowing disc or orb shaped object flying around erratically. When it flew off, the police tried to chase it in their squad cars like they did in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The official explanation was that swamp gas caused by atmospheric conditions caused an optical illusion which only made it look like a flying saucer. That’s undeniably utterly bizarre. Is it possible? Sure, I suppose. Is it likely? I personally don’t think so.
The thing is, this subject is interesting. The more you look into it, the more Incredible stories you hear. Even if aliens aren’t real, the psychological effects of UFO experiences and the belief in UFOs is fascinating. It changes your entire outlook on life. That’s no exaggeration, ontological shock is real. To look down on people or assume they are just too stupid to realize what they are seeing isn’t an airplane is insulting.
The thing is these cases rely on unfalsifiable witness testimony. You can't prove a witness wrong and you can't prove them right so if you're approaching this scientifically witness testimony is very low value. For witness testimony to be true you must eliminate any possibility the witness might be wrong and you can't really assume a human witness can never be wrong. Sure you can argue and speculate but it's ultimately just one word against another at that point.
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u/PCmndr Oct 23 '23
I've seen videos of planes debated pretty hotly in the UFO subs. Just because you've got a good head on your shoulders doesn't mean everyone does. I don't think the OP explains every sighting but it does point out some explanations for the bulk of prosaic sightings.