Taking Conspiracy Theories Seriously

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Taking Conspiracy Theories Seriously

Matthew R. X. Dentith
Taking Conspiracy Theories Seriously Book PDF

Author : Matthew R. X. Dentith
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 267 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2018-11-16
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781786608307

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Taking Conspiracy Theories Seriously by Matthew R. X. Dentith Pdf

The contributors to this volume argue that whilst there is a commonplace superstition conspiracy theories are examples of bad beliefs (and that the kind of people who believe conspiracy theories are typically irrational), many conspiracy theories are rational to believe: the members of the Dewey Commission were right to say that the Moscow Trials of the 1930s were a sham; Woodward and Bernstein were correct to think that Nixon was complicit in the conspiracy to deny any wrongdoing in the Watergate Hotel break in; and if we either accept the terrorist events of 9/11 were committed by Al-Qaeda, or that the Bush Administration was responsible, then it seems we are endorsing some theory about a conspiracy to commit an act of terror on American soil. As such, there is no reason to reject conspiracy theories sui generis. This volume challenges the prima facie that conspiracy theories are irrational beliefs, arguing that we should treat conspiracy theories and the phenomena of conspiracy theories seriously. It presents fresh perspectives from the wider philosophical, sociological and psychological community on what is becoming an issue of increasing relevance in our time.

The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

Jan-Willem van Prooijen
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories Book PDF

Author : Jan-Willem van Prooijen
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 124 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2018-04-09
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9781315525396

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The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories by Jan-Willem van Prooijen Pdf

Who believes in conspiracy theories, and why are some people more susceptible to them than others? What are the consequences of such beliefs? Has a conspiracy theory ever turned out to be true? The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories debunks the myth that conspiracy theories are a modern phenomenon, exploring their broad social contexts, from politics to the workplace. The book explains why some people are more susceptible to these beliefs than others and how they are produced by recognizable and predictable psychological processes. Featuring examples such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and climate change, The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories shows us that while such beliefs are not always irrational and are not a pathological trait, they can be harmful to individuals and society.

The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories

M R. X. Dentith
The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories Book PDF

Author : M R. X. Dentith
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 215 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2024-02-15
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781003859055

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The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories by M R. X. Dentith Pdf

This book presents state of the art philosophical work on conspiracy theory research that brings in sharp focus on central and important insights concerning the supposed irrationality of conspiracy theory and conspiracy theory belief, while also proposing several novel solutions to long standing issues in the broader academic debate on these things called ‘conspiracy theories’. It features a critical history of conspiracy theory theory, emphasising the role of the ‘first generation’ of philosophers in conspiracy theory research. This book also includes discussions of a range of key issues such as: What counts as conspiracy theory? Who counts as a conspiracy theorist? How are these terms variously understood by academics and the wider public, and Are conspiracy theories automatically suspect, and is it ever reasonable to be a conspiracy theorist? The book then builds upon that work by looking at how people’s political views affect both the conspiracy theories they believe and their beliefs about conspiracy theories; how we might defend conspiracy theorising without endorsing mad, bad or dangerous conspiracy theories; and contains several proposals for unifying conspiracy theory research under one theoretical framework: particularism. This volume will be a key resource for philosophers and social scientists interested in recent work on the philosophy of conspiracy theory theory and its implications for conspiracy theory research. It will also appeal to members of the public, who want to know what, if anything, is wrong with these things called “conspiracy theories”. It was originally published as a special issue of Social Epistemology.

Conspiracy Theories

Quassim Cassam
Conspiracy Theories Book PDF

Author : Quassim Cassam
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 86 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2019-11-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781509535842

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Conspiracy Theories by Quassim Cassam Pdf

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? Philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them.

The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories

M R. X. Dentith
The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories Book PDF

Author : M R. X. Dentith
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 155 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2024-02-15
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781003859048

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The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories by M R. X. Dentith Pdf

This book presents state of the art philosophical work on conspiracy theory research that brings in sharp focus on central and important insights concerning the supposed irrationality of conspiracy theory and conspiracy theory belief, while also proposing several novel solutions to long standing issues in the broader academic debate on these things called ‘conspiracy theories’. It features a critical history of conspiracy theory theory, emphasising the role of the ‘first generation’ of philosophers in conspiracy theory research. This book also includes discussions of a range of key issues such as: What counts as conspiracy theory? Who counts as a conspiracy theorist? How are these terms variously understood by academics and the wider public, and Are conspiracy theories automatically suspect, and is it ever reasonable to be a conspiracy theorist? The book then builds upon that work by looking at how people’s political views affect both the conspiracy theories they believe and their beliefs about conspiracy theories; how we might defend conspiracy theorising without endorsing mad, bad or dangerous conspiracy theories; and contains several proposals for unifying conspiracy theory research under one theoretical framework: particularism. This volume will be a key resource for philosophers and social scientists interested in recent work on the philosophy of conspiracy theory theory and its implications for conspiracy theory research. It will also appeal to members of the public, who want to know what, if anything, is wrong with these things called “conspiracy theories”. It was originally published as a special issue of Social Epistemology.

Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them

Joseph E. Uscinski
Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them Book PDF

Author : Joseph E. Uscinski
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 537 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2018-11-12
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780190844073

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Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them by Joseph E. Uscinski Pdf

Conspiracy theories are inevitable in complex human societies. And while they have always been with us, their ubiquity in our political discourse is nearly unprecedented. Their salience has increased for a variety of reasons including the increasing access to information among ordinary people, a pervasive sense of powerlessness among those same people, and a widespread distrust of elites. Working in combination, these factors and many other factors are now propelling conspiracy theories into our public sphere on a vast scale. In recent years, scholars have begun to study this genuinely important phenomenon in a concerted way. In Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them, Joseph E. Uscinski has gathered forty top researchers on the topic to provide both the foundational tools and the evidence to better understand conspiracy theories in the United States and around the world. Each chapter is informed by three core questions: Why do so many people believe in conspiracy theories? What are the effects of such theories when they take hold in the public? What can or should be done about the phenomenon? Combining systematic analysis and cutting-edge empirical research, this volume will help us better understand an extremely important, yet relatively neglected, phenomenon.

Vices of the Mind

Quassim Cassam
Vices of the Mind Book PDF

Author : Quassim Cassam
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 217 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2019
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780198826903

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Vices of the Mind by Quassim Cassam Pdf

Quassim Cassam introduces the idea of epistemic vices, character traits that get in the way of knowledge, such as closed-mindedness, intellectual arrogance, wishful thinking, and prejudice. Using examples from politics to illustrate the vices at work, he considers whether we are responsible for such failings, and what we can do about them.

Escaping the Rabbit Hole

Mick West
Escaping the Rabbit Hole Book PDF

Author : Mick West
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 501 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2023-06-20
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781510776388

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Escaping the Rabbit Hole by Mick West Pdf

Revised and updated for the first time in 2023—Now includes strategies for debunking conspiracies regarding the coronavirus pandemic, election fraud, QAnon, UFOs, and more. The Earth is flat, the World Trade Center collapse was a controlled demolition, planes are spraying poison to control the weather, and actors faked the Sandy Hook massacre. All these claims are bunk: falsehoods, mistakes, and in some cases, outright lies. But many people passionately believe one or more of these conspiracy theories. They consume countless books and videos, join like-minded online communities, try to convert those around them, and even, on occasion, alienate their own friends and family. Why is this, and how can you help people, especially those closest to you, break free from the downward spiral of conspiracy thinking? In Escaping the Rabbit Hole, author Mick West shares over a decade’s worth of knowledge and experience investigating and debunking false conspiracy theories through his forum, MetaBunk.org, and sets forth a practical guide to helping friends and loved ones recognize these theories for what they really are. Perhaps counter-intuitively, the most successful approaches to helping individuals escape a rabbit hole aren’t comprised of simply explaining why they are wrong; rather, West’s tried-and-tested approach emphasizes clear communication based on mutual respect, honesty, openness, and patience. West puts his debunking techniques and best practices to the test with the most popular false conspiracy theories today (Chemtrails, The Coronavirus Pandemic, 9/11 Controlled Demolition, Election Fraud, False Flags, Flat Earth, The Rising of QAnon, and UFOs)—providing road maps to help you to understand your friend and help them escape the rabbit hole. These are accompanied by real-life case studies of individuals who, with help, were able to break free from conspiracism. With sections on: the wide spectrum of conspiracy theories avoiding the “shill” label psychological factors and other complications (and concluding with) a look at the future of debunking Mick West has put forth a conclusive, well-researched, practical reference on why people fall down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole and how you can help them escape.

A Lot of People Are Saying

Nancy L. Rosenblum,Russell Muirhead
A Lot of People Are Saying Book PDF

Author : Nancy L. Rosenblum,Russell Muirhead
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 211 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2020-02-18
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780691204758

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A Lot of People Are Saying by Nancy L. Rosenblum,Russell Muirhead Pdf

How the new conspiracists are undermining democracy—and what can be done about it Conspiracy theories are as old as politics. But conspiracists today have introduced something new—conspiracy without theory. And the new conspiracism has moved from the fringes to the heart of government with the election of Donald Trump. In A Lot of People Are Saying, Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum show how the new conspiracism differs from classic conspiracy theory, how it undermines democracy, and what needs to be done to resist it.

Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas

Cass R. Sunstein
Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas Book PDF

Author : Cass R. Sunstein
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2014
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781476726632

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Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas by Cass R. Sunstein Pdf

A collection of controversial essays touches upon an array of issues, from marriage equality and conspiracy theories to animal rights.

Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump

Daniel C. Hellinger
Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump Book PDF

Author : Daniel C. Hellinger
Publisher : Springer
Page : 311 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2018-09-20
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9783319981581

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Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump by Daniel C. Hellinger Pdf

This book focuses on the constant tension between democracy and conspiratorial behavior in the new global order. It addresses the prevalence of conspiracy theories in the phenomenon of Donald Trump and Trumpism, and the paranoid style of American politics that existed long before, first identified with Richard Hofstadter. Hellinger looks critically at both those who hold conspiracy theory beliefs and those who rush to dismiss them. Hellinger argues that we need to acknowledge that the exercise of power by elites is very often conspiratorial and invites both realistic and outlandish conspiracy theories. How we parse the realistic from the outlandish demands more attention than typically accorded in academia and journalism. Tensions between global hegemony and democratic legitimacy become visible in populist theories of conspiracy, both on the left and the right. He argues that we do not live in an age in which conspiracy theories are more profligate, but that we do live in an age in which they offer a more profound challenge to the constituted state than ever before.

Power, Politics, and Paranoia

Jan-Willem van Prooijen,Paul A. M. van Lange
Power Politics and Paranoia Book PDF

Author : Jan-Willem van Prooijen,Paul A. M. van Lange
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 339 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2014-05-29
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781107035805

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Power, Politics, and Paranoia by Jan-Willem van Prooijen,Paul A. M. van Lange Pdf

Why are people frequently suspicious of their political and corporate leaders? This book examines the psychological roots of political paranoia.

63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read

Jesse Ventura,Dick Russell
63 Documents the Government Doesn t Want You to Read Book PDF

Author : Jesse Ventura,Dick Russell
Publisher : Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
Page : 313 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2012-04-02
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781616085711

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63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read by Jesse Ventura,Dick Russell Pdf

Analyzes a series of public domain documents which demonstrate how the government has misled the public, engaging in deception about the objectives and scope of some of its programs and perpetuating wasteful spending and harmful cover-ups.

The Skeptic's Guide to Conspiracies

Monte Cook
The Skeptic s Guide to Conspiracies Book PDF

Author : Monte Cook
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2009-09-18
Category : Reference
ISBN : 9781440504426

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The Skeptic's Guide to Conspiracies by Monte Cook Pdf

Did the noble order of the Knights Templar guard a secret about Jesus’ birth? Was the moon landing faked in a Hollywood movie studio? Is the government keeping the remains of an alien spacecraft in the top-secret Area 51? Monte Cook takes a look at conspiracy theories—ranging from the historically complex to the seriously whacked out. With a disbelieving eye, he traces the history of some of the world's weirdest ideas and even includes a chart showing readers how to make up conspiracy theories for themselves. Scattered through the book are the paranoid "notes" of an anonymous reader who claims to know what's really going on. You can make up your own mind as to who's telling the truth!

Conspiracy Theories

David Coady
Conspiracy Theories Book PDF

Author : David Coady
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 212 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2019-03-11
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781351949453

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Conspiracy Theories by David Coady Pdf

Conspiracy theories have a bad reputation. In the past, most philosophers have ignored the topic, vaguely supposing that conspiracy theories are obviously irrational and that they can be easily dismissed. The current philosophical interest in the subject results from a realisation that this is not so. Some philosophers have taken up the challenge of identifying and explaining the flaws of conspiracy theories. Other philosophers have argued that conspiracy theories do not deserve their bad reputation, and that conspiracy theorists do not deserve their reputation for irrationality. This book represents both sides of this important debate. Aimed at a broad philosophical community, including epistemologists, political philosophers, and philosophers of history. It represents a significant contribution to the growing interdisciplinary debate about conspiracy theories.