In Mr. Shermer’s view, the brain is a belief engine, predisposed to see patterns where none exist and to attribute them to knowing agents rather than to chance—the better to make sense of the world.

Conspiracy theories are usually bunk when they are too complex, require too many people to be involved, ratchet up from small events to grand effects, assign portentous meanings to innocuous events, express strong suspicion of either governments or companies, attribute too much power to individuals or generate no further evidence as time goes by.

How do we know that our own rational rejections of conspiracy theories are not themselves infected with beliefs so strong that they are, in effect, conspiracy theories, too?     more…

By MATT RIDLEY

The Wall Street Journal

Myth-OS | Uncategorized – Newshttp://myth-os.com/uncategorized/Allegory is a figurative mode of representation conveying meaning other than the literal. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbol figures, actions or symbolic representation.

 

Conspiracy – News | Myth-OShttp://myth-os.com/conspiracy/Conspiracy theory was originally a neutral descriptor for any claim of civil, criminal, or political subterfuge. It refers to any fringe theory which explains a historical or current event.

 

Related articles

• The Daily Bell – Financial Illiteracy of Those Who Mock Conspiracy Theorists(gunnyg.wordpress.com)
• Conspiracy Theories Anyone?(marywperry009.wordpress.com)
• A global warming conspiracy theorist has won 4 states, should we be worried?(scienceblogs.com)
• Whitney Houston Illuminati: Crazy Conspiracy Claims Houston Killed So Blue Ivy Can Live(ibtimes.com)