I often use it in a slightly different role: to introduce a new idea or discovery I've made without sounding like I'm fishing for compliments: "I've thought a

I often use it in a slightly different role: to introduce a new idea or discovery I've made without sounding like I'm fishing for compliments: "I've thought a lot about a better way to implement this circuit, and it turns out that there is one." I'm sure I subconsciously use it for the "appeal to invisible authority" thing, too.