Conspiracies really happen. Sometimes, they become flashpoints of scandal (Watergate, Ukraine). Sometimes, they remain uncovered until years later (various U.S. plots against Castro). Often, the conspiracies people theorize about—a habit greatly facilitated online—have no basis whatsoever. Sometimes, conspiracy theories are deliberately planted for political ends (which makes them a conspiracy!).
British philosophy professor Quassim Cassam approaches the subject of Conspiracy Theories from a hard-headed positivist perspective—no proof, case closed—that will rankle anyone who loves a mystery or doesn’t believe that the cosmos is cut to the measure of our own observations. Among the many interesting points Cassam makes is the relation between conspiracy theories and mystery-detective fiction. The John F. Kennedy assassination is replete with mysteries (which the author dismisses as “shit happens”) and allows conspiracy consumers to hunt for clues, identify anomalies and piece together solutions that might be logical yet erroneous or improbable.
One of the several problems Cassam identifies is the declining influence of experts. Nowadays, amateurs weigh in on civil engineering (9/11 was an inside job!) or medicine (measles vaccinations bad!) without understanding much of anything. Do you really want an amateur surgeon removing your kidney stone? Or an amateur politician running the country? OK, that last one has already occurred.
For solutions, Cassam has little to offer except to insist that the truth is out there—somewhere online. Which of course is the same thing the conspiracy theorists tell us.
