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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Why Conspiracy Theories Suck




2 comments:

  1. In my opinion, this is an edge video, a two-edged-sword. I think it is worthwhile to tone down internet panic a bit, but the way it is being done does not strike me as particularly convincing.
    At first, yes, it is true (and I have experienced it for myself) that if you write scientific papers for a position you are supportive of, you tend to overlook facts. In this case, you need to be wary of what you are about to say, apart from what you might overlook.
    Other than that, there is no reason to argue in terms of “logic” here. Science and research is very much an intuitive process, with the willingness to “see” things which are not there yet. So there has to be acceptance, and yes, intuition. Which sounds counter-intuitive, pun intended.
    But you cannot pull out you Aristotelian logic gun to “kill” the bad argument, as if it were only a matter of checking facts (by whom?). Facts are, it is not and never will. Many insights stem from people who go against what is called logical, against that what is called “peer-review”.
    I see myself in a position where when I feel that something is not right, I say to myself “dump it”. I do not even claim to be logical about it. Putting on a “Got Logic?” shirt would certainly be a different approach, in fact a slightly demeaning one.
    So in my opinion, it would have been better to strike a balance between the two. The other part being emotions, being fear. People cannot bear themselves, so they rush to sensations. People follow hypes because it gives them a kick.

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  2. There is something called confirmation bias and it runs rampant in the conspiracy community and is used for the justification of said bias on every level, Mark. We aren't talking a dialectic, here, we're talking about willful ignorance, willful bias, willful racism, sexism, and antisemitism to be used at the justification for everything. Most "theorists" I have come across are virulent jew haters, unabashed women haters and absolute homophobes. They are racists and xenophobic. That's a fact. There is no logic other than an "international jewish conspiracy" with most of these anti-social types. I would ask the conspiracy trolls to get logic for once and leave their foaming at the mouth all-or-nothing, no nuance or understanding of history at the door. In order to establish a LEGITIMATE alternative take on history, you have to first understand it in the first place. Most people don't.

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