15 votes

US Navy releases new UFO incident reports: This is about newly-released written incident reports, not the grainy videos that made headlines several weeks ago

11 comments

  1. [11]
    nothis
    Link
    I find UFO conspiracies so cool, it's so much fun and I'd love to believe. Of course, once you give in and actually treat those seriously, there's a lot of rather boring explanations, so Occam's...

    I find UFO conspiracies so cool, it's so much fun and I'd love to believe. Of course, once you give in and actually treat those seriously, there's a lot of rather boring explanations, so Occam's razor is once again ruining the fun (if anyone cares, check out this video as a nice summary). But it's fun to keep imagining... what if?

    11 votes
    1. [6]
      mrbig
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      I don’t know specifically what cases you have in mind, but many of them contain so many exotic details that explanations that try to reduce them to known phenomena end up convoluted and forced. I...

      I don’t know specifically what cases you have in mind, but many of them contain so many exotic details that explanations that try to reduce them to known phenomena end up convoluted and forced. I don’t know much about Occam’s Razor, but in my view when proven knowledge must make too many contortions to understand something speculation is warranted.

      In Brazil the Operação Prato was an operation by the Air Force containing numerous reports by military pilots with many descriptions of UFOs, presenting intentional behavior that cannot be attributed to current or past known technology (like changing direction with no inertia). They also had no reason to lie, the reports had no consequence for them. Just an example.

      The “debunk culture”, while largely beneficial, clearly has a bias towards, you know, debunking stuff. There’s a great difference between the unlikely and the unreasonable.

      4 votes
      1. [3]
        MimicSquid
        Link Parent
        The absence of consequences from their reports increases the likelihood of falsehoods rather than decreasing it. Absent consequences, a story can be told for attention, to fit in with other people...

        The absence of consequences from their reports increases the likelihood of falsehoods rather than decreasing it. Absent consequences, a story can be told for attention, to fit in with other people saying the same thing, from a false memory developed from repeated exposure to other's falsehoods... plenty of reasons.

        4 votes
        1. [2]
          mrbig
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          It is certainly possible for an individual to lie to gain an advantage, it is less likely for dozens of individuals to consistently tell similar lies for the same reason. Besides, they did not...

          It is certainly possible for an individual to lie to gain an advantage, it is less likely for dozens of individuals to consistently tell similar lies for the same reason. Besides, they did not have an incentive to lie because there were no advantages to be gained, the files were sealed. This happened during the military dictatorship and was only recently revealed.

          That said, it is possible that this information is not credible. It is also possible that it is credible. But you jumped straight into debunking mode. See what I mean?

          5 votes
          1. MimicSquid
            Link Parent
            I'm not trying to debunk the claims, I'm disagreeing with your claim regarding the lack of incentives to lie. It's possible there were aliens, it's possible there weren't. But plenty of groups...

            I'm not trying to debunk the claims, I'm disagreeing with your claim regarding the lack of incentives to lie. It's possible there were aliens, it's possible there weren't. But plenty of groups have maintained their belief and attempts to disseminate unprovable things for centuries. That doesn't make it real just because a group said it.

            1 vote
      2. [2]
        Stroh
        Link Parent
        I enjoy reading the discussions on these. I think there are a number of people who know exactly what these are and laugh that the (e.g. Navy) is still using the ancient 1970s technology instead of...

        I enjoy reading the discussions on these.
        I think there are a number of people who know exactly what these are and laugh that the (e.g. Navy) is still using the ancient 1970s technology instead of upgrading.

        The achievement of making people think your technology is aliens is a win. “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” -Arthur C. Clarke

        2 votes
        1. mrbig
          Link Parent
          The hypothesis that humankind is able to make things like aircraft that change directions without inertia is almost as incredible as the hypothesis of alien life. And Clarke’s quote relates magic...

          The hypothesis that humankind is able to make things like aircraft that change directions without inertia is almost as incredible as the hypothesis of alien life.

          And Clarke’s quote relates magic to technology. The alien hypothesis opposes human technology to alien technology.

          2 votes
    2. [5]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. [2]
        Douglas
        Link Parent
        I agree. But I also feel enough hubris on behalf of mankind with the agreement to have a little doubt paired with it; I would not be surprised if a being not from Earth had the foresight, ability,...

        I agree. But I also feel enough hubris on behalf of mankind with the agreement to have a little doubt paired with it; I would not be surprised if a being not from Earth had the foresight, ability, or contingency in place to help conceal their presence on Earth.

        Or, if we go the life-is-a-simulation argument, I think of it akin to an admin visiting a server; they can read the logs well enough to be like "oh dip one of the npcs spotted me. can't let that storyline unfold and affect my timeline."

        -- mind you I don't know that I believe any of that second part enough to indulge it further, but I like to imagine every now and again.

        5 votes
        1. vektor
          Link Parent
          Regarding "earth is a simulation" - The admin visiting wouldn't have to conceal their presence. Just create a checkpoint, saving the state of the simulation. Interfere as you want, then reload. So...

          Regarding "earth is a simulation" - The admin visiting wouldn't have to conceal their presence. Just create a checkpoint, saving the state of the simulation. Interfere as you want, then reload. So from our perspective, the "admin" would have the power to at any time know any possible future he considers interesting. You wouldn't have to rely on such "brittle" measures as deleting memories.

          We've all saved a game, used cheats to get something ridiculous and just messed around a bit, just to reload, right?

          4 votes
      2. stu2b50
        Link Parent
        I feel like if there were Aliens, it would be like developed nations and isolated indigenous tribes. It would be considered ethically wrong to come to Earth and disturb life, so there may be some...

        I feel like if there were Aliens, it would be like developed nations and isolated indigenous tribes. It would be considered ethically wrong to come to Earth and disturb life, so there may be some observations, but nothing direct.

        And as an apparently advanced civilization, it shouldn't be too hard to observe without being noticed.

        3 votes
      3. gpl
        Link Parent
        I'm actually not so sure. When humans try, they can do a pretty good job at keeping an environment pristine even after intervening in it. If we're the fish in the pond of the galaxy's nature...

        If all of this extraterrestrial life visited Earth, then wouldn't we have hard evidence by now?

        I'm actually not so sure. When humans try, they can do a pretty good job at keeping an environment pristine even after intervening in it. If we're the fish in the pond of the galaxy's nature preserve, there's no reason to believe we would have hard evidence despite many visits.

        3 votes