I agree with much of what J.C.M. Duetz and M R.X. Dentith have to say in “Reconciling Conceptual Confusions in the Le Monde Debate on Conspiracy Theories” (2022). They have given me a lot to think about and have caused… Read More ›
conspiracy theories
Hill on “Stereotypical” Conspiracy Theories and Cognitive Disabling, Lee Basham
We must not tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories. — George Bush I will not stand by and allow wild conspiracy theories. —Joseph Biden Scott Hill provides an interesting diversion of and, in that, dismissal of the Le Monde statement by certain… Read More ›
Reflections on Scott Hill’s ‘A Revised Defence of Le Monde Group’: ‘Never Again’, Des Hewitt
While I was reading Scott Hill’s (2022a) ‘A Revised Defense of the Le Monde Group’ a number of questions sprang to mind. Not least, what do conspiracy theorists and those academics that support, defend or simply present these in their… Read More ›
The Role of Stereotypes in Theorizing about Conspiracy Theories: A Reply to Dentith, Scott Hill
I am very grateful to M R. X. Dentith (2022) for their helpful and valuable reply. I will begin by scaling back and dropping one of the claims that I made in my earlier paper. In the earlier paper, I… Read More ›
A Bibliography and Brief History of the Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories, Kurtis Hagen
The current discussion of conspiracy theories occurring in the philosophical literature began in 1995 when Charles Pigden reflected on Karl Popper’s influential argument against the “conspiracy theory of society.” Pigden noticed that Popper’s critique was not really directed at conspiracy… Read More ›
Some Clarifications and a Modest View on Social Epistemology and Religion: A Reply to Robertson, Nicholas Smith
I’d like to thank David Robertson (2022) for his response to my work (2022). It gave me quite a bit to consider, especially given that I tend to think of myself as an epistemologist in a broadly analytic tradition, rather… Read More ›
A Defense of the Le Monde Group, Scott Hill
On January 7th, 2015 two French brothers shot, injured, and killed staff in the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine, in Paris, France. Over the next several days, connected attacks followed. The brothers pledged their allegiance to the Islamic… Read More ›
Knowledge as a Weapon? Brian Martin
Can knowledge claims be used to attack? Yes. What should be done about it? That depends. These questions are inspired by Adam Riggio’s article “The Dangers of Intellectual Honesty in a World of Lies” (2022). There is quite a bit… Read More ›
An Autopsy of the Origins of HIV/AIDS, Lee Basham
Abstract This note introduces to a wider audience the hypothesis that global HIV infection is, on an inference to the best explanation model, a result of mistakes made in the production of the Hilary Koprowski (CHAT) Oral Polio Vaccine that… Read More ›
But There Is No Here Any Longer Anywhere: Review of Phillips and Milner’s You Are Here, Adam Riggio
There is arguably no issue of greater urgency than the subject matter of You Are Here: the epistemic breakdown of public life. This is an ongoing crisis snowballing far faster than the sluggish pace of academic publishing. Whitney Phillips and… Read More ›