# Missing Malaysian Plane **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 2, 2014, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152 "2014-04-02T08:19:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/21 "2014-04-02T12:23:07Z")
Well, Reza, this is simple…has any psychic been able to predict the current location of the plane to within a reasonable degree of uncertainty? Let’s say, within 1 square mile. Has any psychic been able to produce map coordinates for the location of the plane? If someone has that information, to a useful degree of specificity, I’m sure that the authorities would be interested. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/22 "2014-04-02T12:24:49Z")
You’re rolling something alright. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/23 "2014-04-02T12:25:41Z")
> [@Reza](#): > > Frankly, I didn’t have any clue that there were plenty of threads about this topic, otherwise I’d have not rolled a new one. There are plenty of topics on the missing plane, not on using psychics to find it. The reason no one of any importance is advocating using psychics is because contrary to your belief, they have an absolutely awful track record. **Psychics don’t work.** None of them. If you think they do feel free to start a thread about that, but be prepared to be asked for evidence, and I strongly doubt any evidence you present is going to be of reasonable quality to satisfy anyone here. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/24 "2014-04-02T12:26:21Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > I predict the plane will be found in or near a body of water. > > …and \*\*TriPolar \*\*wins the thread. He’s going to have egg on his face once the plane’s finally located on Mars… What I want to know is, why don’t the authorities come right out and say it was most likely pilot suicide? You don’t need to be psychic to realize that all evidence points to that scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/25 "2014-04-02T12:27:55Z")
> [@Reza](#): > > …you know that it’s true … How do you know what we’re thinking - are you… guessing? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/26 "2014-04-02T12:52:38Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > What I want to know is, why don’t the authorities come right out and say it was most likely pilot suicide? You don’t need to be psychic to realize that all evidence points to that scenario. I don’t think we can conclude that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/27 "2014-04-02T12:56:59Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > What I want to know is, why don’t the authorities come right out and say it was most likely pilot suicide? You don’t need to be psychic to realize that all evidence points to that scenario. First, I don’t think the evidence is as strong as you suggest. It’s certainly a possibility, perhaps even the leading hypothesis, but there are just too many unanswered questions to say it’s the probably cause of the accident. And without the wreckage and the black boxes there’s no way they’ll say that. Second, what would be the point of reaching a conclusion now? It’s not going to stop the search effort or the investigation. If anything it will just prevent examining the evidence with an open mind. There’s nothing wrong with saying we simply don’t know yet. Anything else is counter-productive. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/28 "2014-04-02T13:32:55Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > First, I don’t think the evidence is as strong as you suggest. It’s certainly a possibility, perhaps even the leading hypothesis, but there are just too many unanswered questions to say it’s the probably cause of the accident. And without the wreckage and the black boxes there’s no way they’ll say that. There’s a few holes in the suicide theory, you’re correct about that. But the other possible scenarios have even greater holes, and as Sherlock Holmes himself said, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains must be the truth, no matter how improbable. > [@Telemark](#): > > Second, what would be the point of reaching a conclusion now? It’s not going to stop the search effort or the investigation. If anything it will just prevent examining the evidence with an open mind. There’s nothing wrong with saying we simply don’t know yet. Anything else is counter-productive. I’m not talking about reaching a conclusion about anything – shit, the plane wreck itself still hasn’t been found. Who knows what new evidence may yet come to light. However,\* no one\* in the media has openly discussed this possibility (or if they did, I missed it) except when it’s buried in a list of many other possible, yet unlikely, scenarios. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/29 "2014-04-02T13:58:07Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Who knows what new evidence may yet come to light. However,\* no one\* in the media has openly discussed this possibility (or if they did, I missed it) except when it’s buried in a list of many other possible, yet unlikely, scenarios. You’ve missed it. I’ve seen it discussed extensively. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/30 "2014-04-02T14:08:31Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > He’s going to have egg on his face once the plane’s finally located on Mars… Unless it turns out there’s water on Mars… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/31 "2014-04-02T14:50:27Z")
> [@Reza](#): > > Why do you think they don’t’ use clairvoyants / psychics to find out what has become of the missing Malaysian plane? > > They have proved through the history and real experience that they could tell some intriguing if not shocking facts about things and people, and you know it. Because psychics can’t detect something once it falls through a rip in the space-time continuum. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/32 "2014-04-02T14:53:48Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Unless it turns out there’s water on Mars… Unless? **TriPolar** said that the plane will be found “in or near a body of water”. Based on that unassailable fact, should the plane be found on Mars then the find itself would be proof positive of the existance of water there. Ipso defacto. Kalamazoo and Tyler, too. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/33 "2014-04-02T14:59:13Z")
It’s taking longer than we thought. Besides, we already [found the key clues.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=719785) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/34 "2014-04-02T15:08:02Z")
The chances of anything flying to Mars are a million to one… ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/35 "2014-04-02T15:23:40Z")
> [@Reza](#): > > Why do you think they don’t’ use clairvoyants / psychics to find out what has become of the missing Malaysian plane? National Enquirer uses them I can see the headlines now. Psychic locates Malaysian Flight 370 at the South Pole Sources close to investigation have leaked conversations with the pilots using clairvoyants. Malaysian Flight 370 revealed to still be floating on the surface of Southern Indian Ocean … spirits of the passengers revel last hours of Flight 370. Money honey … this is bigger than Elvis still be sighted alive 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/36 "2014-04-02T15:24:43Z")
> [@Reza](#): > > Frankly, I didn’t have any clue … That might not take a psychic to discern. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/37 "2014-04-02T15:37:49Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > There’s a few holes in the suicide theory, you’re correct about that. But the other possible scenarios have even greater holes, and as Sherlock Holmes himself said, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains must be the truth, no matter how improbable. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character and this saying of his, although it sounds rigorous and logical, is bollocks. If you don’t have all of the facts to hand, you may dismiss a bunch of impossible solutions and plump for an improbable one _that is still wrong_, because there’s another possibility or factor you don’t know about. Besides, it’s not even as if some of the competing theories in this case truly _can_ be dismissed as impossible. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/38 "2014-04-02T16:16:34Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Besides, it’s not even as if some of the competing theories in this case truly _can_ be dismissed as impossible. Thank god. I thought it was just me who’s thinking ‘Alien Abduction’. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/39 "2014-04-02T16:23:53Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character and this saying of his, although it sounds rigorous and logical, is bollocks. > > If you don’t have all of the facts to hand, you may dismiss a bunch of impossible solutions and plump for an improbable one _that is still wrong_, **because there’s another possibility or factor you don’t know about.** Emphasis mine, and that’s a fair statement; but I’m at a loss to think of any realistic scenario that hasn’t already been discussed to death on CNN. Can you think of anything they may have left out? > [@Mangetout](#): > > Besides, it’s not even as if some of the competing theories in this case truly _can_ be dismissed as impossible. What other theories exist, besides terrorism? And if it was genuine terrorism, what jihad bears a grudge against the Southern Ocean? Because that was clearly the flight path, all along. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152/40 "2014-04-02T16:24:00Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character and this saying of his, although it sounds rigorous and logical, is bollocks. > > If you don’t have all of the facts to hand, you may dismiss a bunch of impossible solutions and plump for an improbable one _that is still wrong_, because there’s another possibility or factor you don’t know about. > > Besides, it’s not even as if some of the competing theories in this case truly _can_ be dismissed as impossible. Thank you. This nonsense is usually used to scapegoat someone. The real world rarely offers the opportunity to eliminate all the other possibilities. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-malaysian-plane/685152.md?page=3)