I don't discount such expert testimony at all. 60+ years worth of it has made a compelling case for the existence of advanced races of beings operating in our skies.
It always comes back to the lack of hard evidence, though.
I can believe that six decades worth of expert testimony proves the existence of alien visitors, but I still don't know it as a fact.
You ask us to substitute an objective reality for a subjective one, which many, many people are just not willing to do.
Logic tells me that the universe is far too vast for there to only be a single solitary planet that has developed life forms. The famous Drake Equation brilliantly illustrates the absurdity of the "we're all alone" theory.
Still - that doesn't automatically mean that I should accept that some of those life forms have the means to conquer the unimaginable distances involved with interstellar space travel, and are coming here, without some hard evidence.
Frankly, I want to see them with my own two eyes. That's the level of proof required for me to accept that they're here.
Do I believe that extraterrestrials have visited Earth? Yes I do.
Do I know that extraterrestrials have visited this planet? No, I do not.
One of these things is superior to the other. I think we both know which one it is.
Do I believe that extraterrestrials have visited Earth? Yes I do.
Do I know that extraterrestrials have visited this planet? No, I do not.
One of these things is superior to the other. I think we both know which one it is.
#######################
How do we know if something is
superior/inferior;
good/bad;
beautiful/ugly;
useful/worthless;
holy;profane;
evil;righteous;
############
USUALLY, in order to answer such a question, it’s
BEST
to KNOW
the answers to the following questions:
1. WHAT IS THE RELATED GOAL?
2. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA/STANDARD OF MEASURE THAT LETS YOU KNOW WHEN THE GOAL HAS BEEN REACHED?
3. WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?
BELIEVE ET’s have visited earth vs KNOW they have.
IF the goal is to be as wisely prepared for probable contingencies . . .
IF the criteria or standard of measure is to avoid a TYPE II error say 98% of the time . . .
IF the context is this current era, 2009, November . . .
THEN, . . . believing WOULD BE SUPERIOR TO KNOWING.
KNOWING would leave one far too vulnerable to a potentially—even HIGHLY PROBABLE TO VIRTUALLY CERTAIN deadly TYPE II ERROR.
####################
IF the goal is to never make any decision or take any action or risk any embarrassment by being less than 100% CERTAIN about anything . . . then, for that person, KNOWING would probably be superior—until REALITY bit them in the rear real hard because of their stubborn ignoring of rather obvious facts just short of certainty.
##################
UFO PING LIST PING LEVEL C
Do I believe that extraterrestrials have visited Earth? Yes I do.
Do I know that extraterrestrials have visited this planet? No, I do not.
One of these things is superior to the other. I think we both know which one it is.
#######################
How do we know if something is
superior/inferior;
good/bad;
beautiful/ugly;
useful/worthless;
holy;profane;
evil;righteous;
############
USUALLY, in order to answer such a question, it’s
BEST
to KNOW
the answers to the following questions:
1. WHAT IS THE RELATED GOAL?
2. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA/STANDARD OF MEASURE THAT LETS YOU KNOW WHEN THE GOAL HAS BEEN REACHED?
3. WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?
BELIEVE ET’s have visited earth vs KNOW they have.
IF the goal is to be as wisely prepared for probable contingencies . . .
IF the criteria or standard of measure is to avoid a TYPE II error say 98% of the time . . .
IF the context is this current era, 2009, November . . .
THEN, . . . believing WOULD BE SUPERIOR TO KNOWING.
KNOWING would leave one far too vulnerable to a potentially—even HIGHLY PROBABLE TO VIRTUALLY CERTAIN deadly TYPE II ERROR.
####################
IF the goal is to never make any decision or take any action or risk any embarrassment by being less than 100% CERTAIN about anything . . . then, for that person, KNOWING would probably be superior—until REALITY bit them in the rear real hard because of their stubborn ignoring of rather obvious facts just short of certainty.