UFO Flap - The Big Picture

[Ann K]

A study which found a correlation between belief in paranormal phenomena (not specifically UFOs) and the mistaken identification of intelligent control of a stimulus didn't find a correlation between religious belief and mistaken attribution of agency.

I think the point was that UFO beliefs were a sort of substitute for religion, in that once you're deep into that mindset, a certain orthodoxy of belief is expected of you. Skeptics are viewed with suspicion. The same is true for flat-earthers and those in opposition to vaccines. Not necessarily a correlation with more common religions, but a belief system that works in much the same way.

 

[Ann K]

I forget the ten for the Greeks that done this, stoic, maybe but when facts don't align then back down otherwise in English the term for you is a prick.

The Greek word you're looking for is ...."skeptic". They originated not just the word itself, but the whole concept.

 

[John J.]

That's not quite the case I am making. I would expect to see a greater belief in UFOs amongst non believers or secular societies due to complex preferences

Thank you for your explanation- I had misunderstood your earlier post.

 

[Scaramanga]

Yeah but I think this guy, as he most assuredly was, was not atrue sceptic.

The other day I watched a video by a certain well known Scottish historian....that was so deceptive in its call for 'proper science' that my mind was boggled. On the one hand its just more of the false equivalence whereby 'there are two sides to every debate'....and as always it is vaccines, global warming, the usual suspects. But on the other hand all presented in a very clever 'science should not make definitive statements but should be open' wrapping that is itself actually correct. This sort of thing has become ever more prevalent. People who use the language of science and who are skilled wordsmiths....yet when you look deeper there is clear bias towards a particular stance and all the 'open mindedness' is really a ruse to allow fringe views to be 'scientific'.