Why Conspiracy Theories?

mixed_biscuits

mixed_biscuits

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version said:
I'm not arguing she's doing rigorous analysis herself. She's obviously trying, but what I'm saying is her point about conspiracy theory currently being dominated by the right and the left needing to combat that by offering a rigorous alternative strikes me as true.
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The assumption that conspiracy theorising per se is a problem is the problem
 
mixed_biscuits

mixed_biscuits

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A better term for conspiracy theorising would be something like 'speculative reasoning and inference' and the correct approach to it is to improve its quality rather than attempt completely to do away with that sort of pondering on the necessarily incompletely knowable
 
mixed_biscuits

mixed_biscuits

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version said:
You're making the same argument she is.You're just hung up on semantics.
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As one should be, seeing as the term 'conspiracy theory' itself has been selectively pushed in order to denigrate speculative reasoning (or even well evidenced findings) made outwith the auspices of an often arbitrarily sanctioned body
 
Clinamenic

Clinamenic

Binary & Tweed
To me, the speculative aspects of conspiratorial thinking are useful, but that speculative reasoning can be employed without what I consider perhaps the central fallacy of conspiratorial thinking, namely the tendency to posit something approximating an absolute control or agency driving a given phenomenon. I just think 99% of the time its way more messy, which isn't to say that some people don't have outsized influences.
 
mixed_biscuits

mixed_biscuits

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Clinamenic said:
To me, the speculative aspects of conspiratorial thinking are useful, but that speculative reasoning can be employed without what I consider perhaps the central fallacy of conspiratorial thinking, namely the tendency to posit something approximating an absolute control or agency driving a given phenomenon. I just think 99% of the time its way more messy, which isn't to say that some people don't have outsized influences.
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To my mind, the 'mess' is the hidden larger complex of moves available to actors which scales up these differences in actors' resources to output actual 'influence'...often 'conspiracy theorists' infer or find the convoluted, back-channel or one-simple-trick way by which those with more resources managed to have their druthers, so circumventing attempts to tightly constrain available moves by, for instance, 'regulation'
 
WashYourHands

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
Clinamenic said:
To me, the speculative aspects of conspiratorial thinking are useful, but that speculative reasoning can be employed without what I consider perhaps the central fallacy of conspiratorial thinking, namely the tendency to posit something approximating an absolute control or agency driving a given phenomenon. I just think 99% of the time its way more messy, which isn't to say that some people don't have outsized influences.
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WashYourHands

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
mixed_biscuits said:
To my mind, the 'mess' is the hidden larger complex of moves available to actors which scales up these differences in actors' resources to output actual 'influence'...often 'conspiracy theorists' infer or find the convoluted, back-channel or one-simple-trick way by which those with more resources managed to have their druthers, so circumventing attempts to tightly constrain available moves by, for instance, 'regulation'
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IMG_1324.jpeg
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
I'll put this in the conspiracy theory thread until it enters the mainstream and becomes common knowledge, just to protect myself from accusations of libel etc but of course we all know it's true.

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Though really such precautions are unnecessary because it's been confirmed by reliable sources.
 
HMGovt’s Glorious Return!

HMGovt’s Glorious Return!

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Under Gaddafi's leadership, Libya's economy grew 600 percent in a decade as per capita income rose to more than 12,000 U.S. dollars, the fifth-highest in Africa according to the World Bank. Citizens enjoyed a wide variety of social benefits, supported by robust state revenue from selling the country's sizable oil reserves. Medical care and public education became free, while housing was considered a human right and subsidized by the government. Gasoline was pennies.

Considered an oppressive "dictator" by most western leaders, Gaddafi also pushed for women's rights. In the streets of Tripoli and Benghazi, women were free to dress as they liked. This stands in stark contrast to women living in most Arab nations where a strict Islamic dress code is enforced. Many male-dominated professions, such as the police and military also became available to women.
 
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