Conspiracy Theories: The Philosophical DebateDavid Coady 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. |
Contents
The Conspiracy Theory of Society | 13 |
Of Conspiracy Theories | 45 |
Living with the Conspiracy | 61 |
Copyright | |
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action agents al-Qaeda alleged appears argue argument assassination BATF behaviour believe chapter Charles Pigden circumstance civilization cock-up commit conspiracy theories conspirators Coriolanus covert critics of conspiracy David Coady definition degenerating research programmes discussion dismiss Elvis Elvis Presley epistemology errant data evidence example existence fact failed false fundamental attribution error global conspiracy theories Holocaust human Hume institutions of information intellectuals involved issue Keeley's Lakatos Lee Basham malevolent global conspiracy McVeigh nature nefarious non-conspiratorial official story Oklahoma City bombing paranoid particular conspiracy theory perhaps Philosophy plot political Popper popular position possibility postulate Procopius public institutions rational reason received view rejection Robert Anton Wilson Robert Conquest secret situational factors skeptical hypotheses social psychologists Steve Clarke successful suggest suppose terrorists theorists Theory of Society things Timothy McVeigh true truth typically UCTs undermine unwarranted conspiracy theories Watergate conspiracy wrong