# "The only thing that explains all these phenomena is..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 23, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553 "2008-04-23T15:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**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 23, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/1 "2008-04-23T15:21:01Z")
Maybe everybody else noticed this already, but I’ve seen it a couple of times recently - once (and subtly) in the **lekatt** thread and once a week or two ago in some thread about UFOs. -There’s a whole bunch of stuff -Someone asserts (in so many words) that _the only possible explanation for all this stuff_ is… something spooky, or metaphysical, or something. When in fact, all that may be happening is that a number of superficially similar phenomena have been lumped together under one umbrella explanation - whereas in fact they are quite a diverse group, and are all individually explainable as a wide range of different things. Is this just an artefact of the human tendency to categorise, group and simplify? ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/2 "2008-04-23T15:27:40Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Maybe everybody else noticed this already, but I’ve seen it a couple of times recently - once (and subtly) in the **lekatt** thread and once a week or two ago in some thread about UFOs. -There’s a whole bunch of stuff -Someone asserts (in so many words) that _the only possible explanation for all this stuff_ is… something spooky, or metaphysical, or something. When in fact, all that may be happening is that a number of superficially similar phenomena have been lumped together under one umbrella explanation - whereas in fact they are quite a diverse group, and are all individually explainable as a wide range of different things. Is this just an artefact of the human tendency to categorise, group and simplify? [/QUOTE] I think you’ve got it right. We’ve lumped together unrelated or superficially related things like that since forever. We’ve done it with everything, from justifying racism to explaining the relationship between the sun and the moon. Things you can’t explain are lumped together as supernatural, and sights you can’t identify are lumped together as aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/3 "2008-04-23T15:39:52Z")
The human mind is hardwired to look for patterns - it’s a basic survival trait. Unfortunately. like most survival traits (fight or flight, anyone?) it can lead to some unfortunate side effects. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/4 "2008-04-23T18:52:44Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] When in fact, all that may be happening is that a number of superficially similar phenomena have been lumped together under one umbrella explanation - whereas in fact they are quite a diverse group, and are all individually explainable as a wide range of different things. Is this just an artefact of the human tendency to categorise, group and simplify? [/QUOTE] That, combined with the human tendency to look for “evidence” of what we already believe, even if it isn’t any good. That desire makes us look for proof of what we believe ( rather than testing it ); our tendency to see patterns ( as **Alessan** said ) makes us see patterns that aren’t there, or aren’t significant. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/5 "2008-04-23T18:59:59Z")
Yeah, you had it already - it’s human nature to group things in collections. Couple that with a general lack of training in seeing below the surface of things, and that’s the result. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/6 "2008-04-23T19:10:26Z")
To elaborate, there is a cognitive behavior known as _pragnantz_. In short, the simplest and most stable interpretation is almost always favored once a pattern/object, or the illusion of a pattern/object, has been perceived. We are, in a very real sense, hardwired for such behavior. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/7 "2008-04-24T03:05:13Z")
[QUOTE=FinnAgain] We are, in a very real sense, hardwired for such behavior. [/QUOTE] Or is that just the way the aliens manipulate our thought patterns? _cue spooky sci-fi music_ ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/8 "2008-04-24T04:33:43Z")
I used to be really into Conspiracy Theories, not as ‘fact’, but for pure entertainment. I’ve seen 'em all. I’ve deduced one common thread that explains them all. People are Fucking Stupid That’s it. The whole thing. Occam’s Razor. Whereas these people have a sort of reverse Occam’s Razor. If (Person cannot grasp reasonable solution) OR (Solution Unknown) Then (Wildly Improbable Solution must be true). We don’t know the precise methods that were used to build the Pyramids, therefore it must’ve been aliens, because “we don’t know how”, and therefore, Humans cannot possibly have done it. We can’t explain these odd pixels on really grainy photos of Mars, so they have to be seven mile high crystal spires, which of course can only have been built by ALIENS. There is a cold spot in the house and we can’t explain it otherwise, so it must be a ghost. The worst of it is that people fixate on their desired solution to the exclusion of proof that other, more reasonable explanations are more likely. These are the people we need to put in special homes, and not be allowing them on TV as so-called “experts”. They’re only experts of their own delusions. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/9 "2008-04-24T08:12:06Z")
[QUOTE=Chimera] Then (Wildly Improbable Solution must be true). [/QUOTE] Well, it has to be _comforting_ to some degree. Aliens exist, and they have faces like ours (or they think our faces are appealing), hence the “face” at Cydonia. My child died, but it’s okay because God has a plan, which is somewhat more comforting than it being a random infection or car accident or murder. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-only-thing-that-explains-all-these-phenomena-is/446553/10 "2008-04-24T10:27:04Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Maybe everybody else noticed this already, but I’ve seen it a couple of times recently - once (and subtly) in the **lekatt** thread and once a week or two ago in some thread about UFOs. -There’s a whole bunch of stuff -Someone asserts (in so many words) that _the only possible explanation for all this stuff_ is… something spooky, or metaphysical, or something… [/QUOTE] Your link to “all this stuff” isn’t working…can you repost?