Skepticism Vs Conspiracy Theories - Why People Believe Conspiracy Theories

There's a reason why people believe conspiracy theories. Disproving conspiracy theories is difficult, because they can often be very vague. Its only by properly improving skepticism that conspiracy theories can be better evaluated. Just like hoaxes, its easy to see how conspiracy theories grow. Without developing skepticism, resisting conspiracy theories can be difficult and easy to spread. A government conspiracy theory is common, as very few people trust it given its long nature of secrecy.

Rejecting conspiracy theories involves evaluating the claims with its corresponding evidence. If a theory is complex, it is reasonable to require a well-developed case for its merits. When asking whether a claim is skepticism vs conspiracy theory, one should ask if they are accepting the answer that suits them best or one that is convenient. Michael Shermer explains that conspiracy theories are often involves hyper skepticism, where one must weigh the size and complexity of a theory before considering the evidence given. I hope this video better explains how to evaluate conspiracy theories, as it can be easy to fall into this camp and remain skeptical.

Refining Reason Episode 17- Skepticism vs Conspiracy Theories
6/02/2018