FACT vs THEORY

From: Ian Goddard (igoddard@netkonnect.net)
Date: Wed Nov 12 1997 - 17:08:34 MST


Many are confused by my last post under the heading,
"What TWA 800 HOAX," for by republishing one of my
reports it appeared I was recommitting the crime of
advocating the Navy-missile theory again. Not true:

   The confusion stems from CNN's misrepresentation.

   It's true that I said I was sorry and apologized
   for my promotion of the Navy-missile theory. But
   it's false that I said anything I did was a sham,
   plot, or hoax, as the media reported. There's a
   world of difference between saying my promotion
   of a theory was a mistake and that it was a fraud.

   THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACTS AND THEORIES

   If they're going to say the case I assembled
   was a sham, as they are, then I will present
   the case and ask "So where's the sham?" All I
   see are a list of factual items from which a
   theory is extrapolated. A theory derived from
   a set of facts may be true or false, even as
   the facts are all true. I stand behind those
   facts (http://www.copi.com/articles/Goddard)
   even as I discontinue to advocate the theory.
   There's absolutely no contradiction there.

   When I say I stand by my case, I say that
   it was a legitimate case, that it was built
   upon facts that tend to support the theory.
   Nobody can refute the facts it rests upon,
   but we can disagree over what they mean.

   (a) Crisp facts and (b) fuzzy theories.
   I stand by (a) but no longer espouse
   any (b). I also never blurred the
   line between (a) and (b) as has
   been widely misreported.

   The Navy-missile case is a case of circumstantial
   evidence, which some might call a compelling case.

   HOWEVER:

   Just because 154 people saw what is
   best described as a missile, and just
   because there was Navy activity in
   the area, which the Navy initially
   denied but then admitted when the
   radar tapes came out, does not
   necessarily mean the Navy shot
   down TWA 800 with a missile.
 
   I have always been aware of that fact, but,
   wanting to end my TWA 800 analysis forever,
   I felt it proper to apologize to those in
   the gov't I had caste suspicion upon, for
   they could be innocent... I don't know.?
   If I want to free myself from the case,
   I should free all those in the case.

   But they did not want to free me,
   forcing me to keep the case up to
   counter the false charge of fraud.

   It's regrettable that CNN felt it necessary
   to wrongfully frame me has having admitted
   fraud. For some reason they are desperate
   to sink the Navy-missile theory and me.

   Dr. Stern has made the case available once
   again so that people can see there was no
   sham: http:/www.copi.com/article/Goddard

   _________________________________________
   Ian Goddard <igoddard@netkonnect.net>

   Soon to be back at: igoddard@erols.com
   and: http://www.erols.com/igoddard



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