I've watched numerous videos, and if you recall, I did some stroke analysis on some of them. I found that Stan adjusts his final aim in mid-stroke. How often? I don't know because I can't do a video analysis of every shot he takes, and of course some of the shots will be at the correct angle to pocket the ball, requiring no subconscious adjustments. So to address the part in bold, I have at least a little evidence that the shots are being made by last second adjustments. Maybe that's part of CTE.
What is equally infuriating is debating with people who can't seem to think critically when it comes to CTE (hence the "cult" term). You, however, seem in every other way to be a reasonable guy. Answer this: IF you use CTE and it works well for you, and IF you don't understand FOR A FACT how it works, then how can you rule out any alternative possibilities as to how it works?
Question 2: If I paraphrase you correctly, you are claiming that CTE works because even though you are still hitting the same visual with two different shots (two different cut angles), the position of the rails and pockets fool your mind into thinking the two different cut angles still LOOK LIKE the same visual alignment when in reality they are not. That's one possibility and is your suggestion. Another possibility is that you are so busy making all the CTE adjustments and pivots that you don't realize that you are really not on the same visual alignment. That, or like Stan you are making swoops at the last second to make the shot go. Which explanation would most people bet $100,000 on?
