-=> Quoting Ivy Iverson to Paul Andinach <=-
 II> If you are talking ABOUT me, why not say it TO me?
   I tried that last time, and it didn't seem to work.
 II> Excuse me, but I DO know what Occam's Razor is, HOWEVER the way it's
 II> used by both believers and non-believers, (in UFOs and ETs), it's used
 II> to slice away that which THAT PERSON does not believe to be factual
 II> and/or believable.  It is not used according to definition, to "slice
 II> away" everything but the simplest explaination.
   If that is the case, then I apologise. But every time I've seen you use 
it, you've acted as if that's what you believed as well. I've never seen any 
indication that you were just showing the way that others use it.
 PA> Occam's Razor:
 PA> 
 PA> Given a choice between two hypotheses that explain the evidence
 PA> equally well, go with the hypothesis that's simpler.
 II> For example, we all know that both the planet Earth and the Moon are
 II> spheres, however to a primitive, not only is the Earth flat, but so is
 II> the Moon!  After all, since we always see the same side of the Moon,
 II> and it appears as a flat disk when viewed with the naked eye, the
 II> application of Occam's Razor says that the simplest explaination is
 II> that the Moon, (and the Earth), are flat disks!
   If that is so, then how do we all "know" that Earth and Moon are spheres?
 II> and, (here is the point), it is this same application of the slicer
 II> that is used in the ET/UFO dispute.  The non-believers feel that either
 II> it is impossible for ETs to visit us or they simply don't exist, so
 II> "the razor" dictates that they aren't here.
   That's not using Occam's Razor, that's just a crippling lack of 
objectivity.
 II> The believers, OTOH,
 II> accept at least a FEW of the pictures which allegedly show UFOs,
 II> (though many if not most are fakes!), and that the testimony of those
 II> who claim to have been abducted MAY have some degree of truth, and
 II> reject the "razored" explainations.
   And that's drawing conclusions from bad evidence.
 PA> Admittedly, some people do ignore evidence they don't like, or
 PA> search only  for evidence to support their view. Alas, this happens.
 PA> But Occam's Razor has *nothing* *to* *do* *with* *it*.
 II> But they CLAIM it does!!!
   And so do you. Or so it seems to me.
 PA> Paul "If I see that elementary mistake one more time, I'll scream"
 PA> Andinach 
 II> Elementary?  What's obvious to one person, another is blind to.
   That's the other reason I addressed it to "All".
 PA> ... It always helps if you know what you're talking about.
 II> Do I detect an implied insult here?
    I'd take the Fifth, but I prefer to avoid drinks with high alcohol 
contents. ;)
 II> Catch you later... Keep l00king up!  (You might see a UFO!)
Keep watching the skis!
Paul
... We demand peaceful relations or we blow up your planet.  
--- Blue Wave/Max v2.30 [NR]
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