Teleological explanations, creationism, and conspiracy theories

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There's a Psychological Link Between Conspiracy Theories And Creationism


There is growing evidence that indulging in conspiracy theories predisposes people to reject scientific findings, from climate change to vaccinations and AIDS. And researchers have now found that teleological thinking also links beliefs in conspiracy theories and creationism.

Teleological and conspiratorial thought share a number of features in common. Core to both ways of thinking is the act of giving things a purpose.



Interesting read, not too long, and makes some good points.
 
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There's a Psychological Link Between Conspiracy Theories And Creationism

Interesting read, not too long, and makes some good points.
Michael Shermer wrote book and article similar to that subject. He defined patternicity. It the tendency to find patterns in nature and is a natural survival trait in man. Along with the tendency to attempt to see patterns, he calls the tendency to give meaning to patterns "agency". Sometimes it is essential for survival in a jungle, and sometimes it leads to false patterns and agency, such as religious explanations of phenomena that are not yet understood.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/patternicity-finding-meaningful-patterns/ (Dec, 2008)
 
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The author seems to wrongly believe that there are no conspiracies...The author would be quite wrong since there are some real doozies out there that have been proven. Watergate, The Tuskeegee affair, Operation Northwoods, The Iran Contra Affair, CIA Drug Running in various US States.

Trying to shut down debate by appealing to "conspiracy theory" is little more than an ad hom...conspiracies do exist, and they have been proven to exist at the highest levels of government. Not everything is a conspiracy, but suggesting that they do not exist and suggesting that religious folk are most likely susceptible to false conspiracy theories sounds like pretty shabby science to me...it wouldn't be the first time a researcher went into a study with a predetermined outcome in mind.

And of course it eventually comes to climate...here is the thing...when this sort of claptrap has to be employed in an effort to hinder a discussion, it is because the argument in question is so weak that it can't fend for itself...climate is a prime example...

There is not a single piece of observed, measured evidence which supports the AGW hypothesis over natural variability.

There is not a single piece of observed, measured evidence which establishes a coherent link between the absorption of infrared radiation by a gas and warming in the atmosphere.

And the hypothetical warming due to mankind's burning of hydrocarbon fuels, which is the foundation of the anthropogenic global warming hypothesis has never been empirically measured, quantified, and then attributed to so called green house gasses in a published paper.

And yet, people who believe in man made climate change will tell you with a straight face, and supreme confidence that the debate is over...that the science is settled, that the evidence is overwhelming...and yet, they can't produce a single piece of observed, measured evidence or a single published paper which challenges any of the three very straight forward statements regarding the so called evidence.
 
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