In his carefully articulated demarcation between two kinds of epistemological frameworks, Erhan Şimşek (2024) suggests that to understand plagiarism, perhaps even accept it, one must not confuse them. Here is the demarcation line, which in turn undergirds an academic practice:… Read More ›
epistemology
How Not to Make Things with Words: Constructivist Reflections on Knowledge, Language, and World, Alexander V. Kravchenko
Language is the house of being. In its home human beings dwell. Those who think and those who create with words are the guardians of this home. — Martin Heidegger We all know that “knowledge is power” (Hobbs 1668), and… Read More ›
Conspiracy Theories and Relevant Epistemic Authorities: A Response to Räikkä on Pejorative Definitions, Part III, Kurtis Hagen
In this essay, I argue that, with regard to controversial conspiracy theories: (1) Determining what the evidence indicates by appealing to expert consensus is problematic; (2) Identifying the relevant epistemic authorities is fraught with challenges, and; (3) The degree to… Read More ›
Implausible Conspiracy Theories: A Response to Räikkä on Pejorative Definitions, Part II, Kurtis Hagen
Vague evaluative terms, such as “implausible” and “unlikely,” are often used to describe conspiracy theories. In this essay, I argue that such vagueness facilitates equivocations that support unfounded negative generalizations about explanations called “conspiracy theories,” especially when the generalizations are… Read More ›
Three Ways to Define Conspiracy Theories: A Response to Räikkä on Pejorative Definitions, Part I, Kurtis Hagen
This is the first in a series of three essays in which I address the following issues: (1) The pros and cons of the so-called “minimalist” definition of conspiracy theories, compared to more complicated alternatives. (2) Whether taking implausible conspiracy… Read More ›
Why We Should Stop Talking about Generalism and Particularism: Moving the Debate on Conspiracy Theories Forward, Maarten Boudry and M. Giulia Napolitano
It is highly unusual for philosophers to agree about anything. And yet, philosophers of conspiracy theories seem to have achieved this remarkable feat. For more than a decade, a campaign has been waged against a position called “generalism”. Originally coined… Read More ›
Epistemic Harm, Social Consequences: A Reply to Torcello on Climate Change Disinformation, Francesca Pongiglione and Carlo Martini
The temperatures registered in the summer of 2022 were among the highest on record in Europe, central and eastern China, and North America (ECMWF, ERA5 2022). The summer of 2022 is, however, unlikely to be an exceptional one. Similar heat… Read More ›
Climate Change Disinformation and Culpability: A Sympathetic Reply to Pongiglione and Martini, Lawrence Torcello
Misinformation has hampered action on climate change for decades. Climate researchers who have been concerned with the dissemination of climate science in the public sphere know the problem well. Not least of all because it often confronts them directly, in… 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 ›
Vaccination and Intellectual Honesty: Reflections on a Theme in Recent SERRC Articles, Kurtis Hagen
Should we be honest about vaccines? That is a serious question. Common sense says that “honesty is the best policy,” and I maintain that topics related to vaccination are not exceptional in this regard. However, some serious and well-intentioned people… Read More ›