..... closed minded .....
Don't forget: That finger points both ways.
Ie.: In the same way you would accuse the disbelievers of being "close-minded" , well, ....... so too, figure that: The disbelievers would be 'pointing that same finger' back at believers, for failing to take into consideration the counter-evidence.
.... a person's interpretation of evidence is just that. Their interpretation. .....
This statement seems to promote the notions that "all interpretations are equal". And that "truth" is utterly "subjective" and "personal". Eh ? However: I'm sure you'd be the first to agree that some "interpretations" can be erroneous. There are people who come up with conclusions (aka "interpretations"). That hold utterly no water, and are totally full of holes. Right ?
Hence why are you appealing to this ? To suggest that someone's interpretation here can't be true, simply because it's merely a "interpretation" ? If that were true, then the finger would point both ways: Your stance too, is *merely* an "interpretation". Right ?
.... I have no doubts people make mistakes and interpret things incorrectly. The mind is a very tricky organ. You can mis-remember things. You can misinterpret things.....
Great. Agreed. Ok, so why did you make your aforementioned claim then ?
.... But some things are just too peculiar to simply write-off......
There's not a spot on earth where similar "strange things" can't be woven around innocuous mundane things. That .... if you get glossy-eyed enough, you couldn't likewise begin to weave fabulous "what if?" scenarios, around random "mysterious" things. I have no doubt, that if I went into my backyard (1 acre in Monterey, CA), that ... given enough time and speculations (add in some local legends and conjectures) that I couldn't weave a similar story. AND EVEN GET IT INTO THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER to further-substantiate it.
If you'd like a true local example of how such "newspaper worthy" stories, launched a local legend, I can let you know such-an-example. And even well-meaning intelligent people went "looking for it", despite the innocuous explanation that would/could have shown "no treasure".
.... talk about such silly hypotheticals, ....
Interesting that only counter explanations get labeled as "hypothetical". Yet notions of "treasure" can't be labeled as hypothetical or "opinion" . Convenient, eh ?
....People died trying locate a treasure or an answer to OI and you are saying, it was all part of a hoax or a bad interpretation of the available facts? I wouldn't risk my life for either. Would you?.....
This is along the lines of "where there is smoke, there is fire" line-of-reasoning. Right ? Ie.: there HAS to be something there, otherwise .... all those people wouldn't be looking for it. Sinking $$ into it, risking their lives for it, etc.... Am I understanding you correctly ? If so, I would be more-than-happy to discuss whether-or-not that validates any given claim, as necessarily being a given "true".
.... to whether there is a treasure or not. That depends on a person's belief now doesn't it. .....
No. I doesn't depend on a "person's belief". That would make truth or error subjective. Instead of objective. "Truth" does not depend on whether or not persons "believe" in it, or not. Truth depends on whether it's true or not. Ie.: Objective, not subjective.