https://www.newscientist.com/definition/conspiracy-theories/
Conspiracy theories can also paradoxically be emotionally reassuring. They provide truthful-sounding explanations for events that otherwise seem inexplicable, random or capricious, and often make your political opponents look bad. They can also give believers a pleasing sense of superiority because they – and sometimes they alone – have seen through the lies and cover-ups to reveal the “truth”.
"Is covid-19 caused by the 5G phone network, or the product of a secret Chinese bioweapons program?
ReplyDeleteNo. There is no evidence that either of these claims are true, but to
some people that very lack of evidence is itself clear evidence of a
cover up. Welcome to the paranoid, topsy-turvy world of the conspiracy
theory.
Think of any major world event and there is almost
certainly at least one conspiracy theory to explain it. The list is
almost endless: the Apollo moon landings were faked, 9/11 was an inside
job, climate change is a hoax, JFK was assassinated by the CIA, the
earth is flat, the pharmaceutical industry is suppressing a cure for
cancer, vaccines cause autism, Princess Diana was murdered by the royal
family, Barak Obama was born in Kenya and is secretly a Muslim, the
world is ruled by lizards. Many of these “theories” – the word is used
in its colloquial sense rather than the strict scientific one, they
should really be called “conspiracy hypotheses” – concern matters of
science or medicine.
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/definition/conspiracy-theories/#ixzz78zK2gML6"
The claim that covid originated in a wet market also falls into this category - no evidence to support it.
Regarding JFK - that claim that Oswald was a lone gunman, is absurd - with the rifle he had, (or was left at the Book depository) and his poor shooting scores in his army career, it would have been impossible for him to fire those shots in quick succesion, let alone be an expert marksman.
But as the old saying goes, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get out"
ReplyDeleteLook at real history - the Red Scare. Conservatives were painted as paranoid nuts over their beliefs that the Soviets were spying on the US, had agents in the news and entertainment industry and were trying to undermine US resolve during the Cold War. McCarthyism! What evil! Except they were right. Oops.
Instead of trusting media portrayals and characterizations, here are Dr. Baltimore's direct statements from an interview on the subject: https://www.caltech.edu/abo...
ReplyDeleteAnd just as I quoted him as saying in my previous comment, he said regarding lab origins: "I do know that it's a hypothesis that must be taken seriously."
How did a "Hypothesis that must be taken seriously" and an entirely plausible origin of a pandemic get characterized as a Conspiracy theory? And even before there was any investigation? It was done dishonestly by people with an agenda and a serious financial conflict of interest, it was done with lack of proof or evidence to support zoonotic origins, it never should have been characterized this way, and it certainly shouldn't be now.
We have lost the idea of "reasonable"
ReplyDeleteMy favourite philosophical argument is: The universe is 5 minutes old. Everything was created 5 minutes ago exactly how it is now. We all just popped into existence along with the everything around us, completely formed and full of memories of a life never lived, and whoever did this made sure we'd have interlocking memories so we can interact. Now prove me wrong.
In short: you can't. But is it reasonable? No.
It's the same with conspiracies. All of them are possible and if there's no evidence it's possible that's because of the effort made to hide them. But are they reasonable?
Right. And if I were to suggest today to go into a bat cave and collect hundreds of new viruses, then take them to a lab, and get funding for gain of function research. And from there , is there a reasonable chance something might go wrong in the process?
ReplyDelete