Podcast appearances and mentions of Quassim Cassam

Quassim Cassam is professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick. He is well known for his work examining terrorism, political extremism, the professional values of general medical practice and the idea of epistemic vice. In this conversation we explore how these strands are interwoven within his career. https://www.quassimcassam.com

As politicians promise to make us richer, our panellists – Rt Rev David Walker, Quassim Cassam, Seeta Suchak and David Landrum - take a moral approach to the party manifestos. The campaigner against forced marriage, Jasvinder Sanghera, who has just been made a dame, tells her own astonishing story. And a medieval historian, Hannah Skoda, explains why women with beards were considered holy.Presenter - Emily Buchanan Producers - Peter Everett & Rob Cave Production Coordinator - David Baguley Editor - Tim Pemberton

Sir Richard Evans, Margaret Heffernan, Isabel Oakeshott, Quassim Cassam join Anne McElvoy to look at the ideas shaping our lives today. Are they optimists or pessimists ? How negative should we be in political campaigning, doomscrolling, parenting, writing reviews or giving academic feedback. What are intellectual vices and how might they help us think about truth and conspiracy theories? And "Have a nice day" - we look at the demand to perform a role in the workplace.Professor Sir Richard J Evans is an historian of modern Germany and modern Europe, and has published over 20 books in the field, most recently The Pursuit of Power: Europe 1815-1915 and Eric Hobsbawm: A Life in History. In August his new book comes out called Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO and author of books including Uncharted: How to Map the Future Together and Beyond Measure: The Impact of Small Changes Quassim Cassam is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. His books include Ekstremisme, The Epistemology of Democracy and Vice Epistemology. Isabel Oakeshott is an award winning British political journalist. Her books include The Pandemic Diaries written with Matt Hancock, Life Support: Farmaggedon written with Michael Ashcroft. Dr Jaswinder Blackwell-Pal is a Lecturer in Theatre and Performance Studies at Queen Mary University of London. She's been announced this week as one of 10 early career academics who've been chosen as the 2024 New Generation Thinkers – that's a scheme to share academic research on the radio which the BBC runs with the Arts and Humanities Research Council. You can hear from all ten in a special New Thinking episode of our Arts & Ideas podcast where you will also find episodes of Free Thinking.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Steve Greenwood

How did conspiracy theory grow from a fringe belief to a quasi-religious movement capable of toppling democracies? Ian and Dorian chart the rise of the tinfoil mindset in a wild historical ride that takes in the Illuminati, 9/11, Karl Popper, Watergate, Hitler, QAnon, Oliver Stone's JFK, and Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn's secret society. And chillingly, they explain why the tinfoil fringe isn't just on the fringe any more.  Help Ian and Dorian DO THEIR RESEARCH by supporting Origin Story on Patreon: www.Patreon.com/originstorypod –––––––– Conspiracy Theory: A Reading List From Dorian: Voodoo Histories by David Aaronovitch. Sharp and readable overview of the history and psychology of conspiracy theories. The United States of Paranoia by Jesse Walker. A provocative history which argues that paranoia permeates mainstream American politics, not just the fringes. Among the Truthers by Jonathan Kay. A reporter's journey through contemporary conspiracy theories. The Paranoid Style in American Politics by Richard Hofstadter. This brilliant diagnosis of the conspiracist mentality still holds up. The Hitler Conspiracies by Richard J Evans. Evans uses case studies including the Reichstag fire and the stab-in-the-back myth to illustrate the importance of conspiracy theories to the Nazi era. Very good on The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and the difference between event theories and systemic theories. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. The classic novel of American paranoia and the only Pynchon novel you can read in less than a week. The Coming Storm. Superbly reported BBC podcast series, presented by Gabriel Gatehouse, explores the 90s roots of QAnon. On JFK the movie: JFK: The Book of the Film by Oliver Stone and Zachary Sklar. The heavily annotated screenplay plus reams of press coverage of Stone's movie, much of it hostile. Reclaiming History by Vincent Bugliosi. Elephantine takedown of every single JFK conspiracy theory. There are no survivors. Christopher Hitchens on JFK and conspiracy theories in general. And from Ian: Conspiracy Theories by Quassim Cassam. The case for a political analysis. Worthwhile, but flawed. The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories by Jan-Willem van Prooijen. Decent little overview of the psychological work into the area. Also worthwhile, also flawed. –––––––– “The very fact that it's not proper scholarship makes conspiracy theory so much more exciting to read — and satisfying to write.” – Dorian “JFK is the most powerful argument I've seen yet that you should be able to sue for libel after you're dead.” – Ian “According to Hitler, the fact that the Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion had been called fake proved they were true…” – Dorian “Certain people believe that the CIA invented conspiracy theory in order to discredit people who criticised the Warren Commission. So that means that conspiracy theory is a conspiracy theory…” – Dorian –––––––– Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey and Ian Dunt. Audio production by Jade Bailey and Alex Rees. Music by Jade Bailey. Logo art by Mischa Welsh. . Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Origin Story is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us are healthier, wealthier and better educated than ever before. We have greater access to knowledge and expertise than any previous generation. So, why do humans keep doing stupid things? And why is the world awash with conspiracy? Have we already passed “peak intelligence”? And if so, what can we do to ensure a smarter future?

In spite of his apology the calls continue for the Prime Minister to resign. He did not follow his own rules so he must go, says a sizeable majority in the polls. But why must he go? Sympathy, understanding and forgiveness are all virtues to celebrate - unless we happen to be talking about people we don't like. Most of those who broke the lockdown rules (maybe you, maybe me) got away with it. Some got a caution or a fine; very few lost their jobs. The charge against Boris Johnson is not so much that he broke the law as that he crossed a moral boundary. So, what are the moral rules he is accused of breaking? And why isn't his very public apology deemed by some to be not good enough? Anthropology tells us that the basic rules of morality are universal. But sociologists say that cultural norms dictate how we're expected to behave, and Britain is culturally diverse. Given that politics is almost by definition an interplay of pragmatism and integrity, perhaps we should learn to live with our politicians' clay feet and look elsewhere for paragons of moral virtue? With former Conservative MP Edwina Currie, Anthropologist Dr Oliver Scott Curry, Political theorist Dr Stephen de Vijze and Philosophy professor Quassim Cassam. Produced by Olive Clancy

Josh and M review Quassim Cassam's "Vice Epistemology" from The Monist in 2016. — Josh is @monkeyfluids and M is @conspiracism on Twitter You can also contact us at: podcastconspiracy@gmail.com Why not support The Podcaster's Guide to the Conspiracy by donating to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/podcastersguidetotheconspiracy or Podbean crowdfunding? http://www.podbean.com/patron/crowdfund/profile/id/muv5b-79

Quassim Cassam of the University of Warwick discusses the philosophical distinctions of a political extremist, the link between extremism and conspiracy theory, and how the current political conditions in the US eerily resemble those that created the 9/11 hijackers.

Panelists: Peter Castagno, Gumby, Joanne Leon, Dan Wright. A panel discussion about the questions that are still unanswered 20 years after 9/11. This is part one of a series. There is an “after hours” bonus segment where we talk about turning this into a series, the fact that dissent from the official 9/11 story is (finally) being discussed more openly and there is strong pressure to make it less taboo, and more.  Joanne Leon and Dan Wright are co-founders of Around the Empire. Peter Castagno is the co-owner of the Citizen Truth independent media website covering international politics. He is an independent writer & researcher with an MA in International Conflict Resolution. Gumby is an independent researcher, well known for his research threads on Twitter and podcast appearances under the pseudonym @gumby4christ (a handle that he chose years ago in jest but then became a brand).  FOLLOW @JoanneLeon, @DanSWright, @gumby4christ, @petercastagno_ Around the Empire aroundtheempire.com is listener supported, independent media. SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on Rokfin rokfin.com/aroundtheempire, Patreon patreon.com/aroundtheempire, Paypal paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod, YouTube youtube.com/aroundtheempire, Spotify, iTunes, iHeart, Google Podcasts FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  Join us on TELEGRAM https://t.me/AroundtheEmpire Find everything on http://aroundtheempire.com  and linktr.ee/aroundtheempire Reference Links: 9/11 Independent Commission (Family Steering Committee) - Unanswered Questions Book: Unanswered Questions: What the September Eleventh Families Asked and the 9/11 Commission Ignored History Commons: BBC Reports WTC 7 Collapse Before It Happens BBC Response re: reporting WTC 7 collapse before it happened ClandesTime 114 – An Alternative History of Al Qaeda: Ali Mohamed Porkins Policy Review: Ali Mohamed: The CIA's Favorite Terrorist (Guest article by Tom Secker) History Commons: Ali Mohamed Covert Action Magazine: The Twenty Year Shadow of 9/11 (Part 1): U.S. Complicity in the Terror Spectacle and the Urgent Need to End It, Aaron Good, Ben Howard and Peter Dale Scott Covert Action Magazine: The Twenty Year Shadow of 9/11 (Part 2): Why Did Key U.S. Officials Protect the Alleged 9/11 Plotters?, Aaron Good, Ben Howard and Peter Dale Scott Covert Action Magazine: Stepping out of the Shadow of 9/11 (Part 3): Start by Ending the Post-9/11 States of Emergency, Aaron Good, Ben Howard and Peter Dale Scott Gumby's Twitter thread on Pentagon's special unit DO5 and Pentagon whistleblower codenamed Iron Man Truthout (2011): New Documents Suggest DoD Watchdog Covered Up Intelligence Unit's Work Tracking 9/11 Terrorists, Jason Leopold, Jeffrey Kaye Truthout (2011): Report: Intelligence Unit Told Before 9/11 to Stop Tracking Bin Laden, Jeffrey Kaye Covert Action Magazine: Anthrax Attacks Directed Against Public Officials Following 9/11 Had all the Markings of a False Flag Operation, Graeme McQueen Slate: How Did I Get Iraq Wrong?, Richard Cohen ProPublica: Colleague Says Anthrax Numbers Add Up to Unsolved Case Washington Post: Justice Dept. takes on itself in probe of 2001 anthrax attacks, Jerry Markon Book: The Watchdogs Didn't Bark: The CIA, NSA, and the Crimes of the War on Terror, Ray Nowosielski, John Duffy Epistemic Vice: A Critique of Quassim Cassam's “Conspiracy Theories”, Peter Castagno Book: Logical Investigative Methods: Critical Thinking and Reasoning for Successful Investigations, Robert J. Girod Book: Psychology of Intelligence Analysis, Richards J. Heuer Jr. Book: The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation, Philip Shenon A Very Heavy Agenda (documentary series), Robbie Martin Book: Another Nineteen: Investigating Legitimate 9/11 Suspects, Kevin Ryan Guns and Butter: Another Nineteen, Part One thru Five - Kevin Ryan, #287-291 Max Keiser interviews Jim Rickards on 9/11 Stock Irregularities on The Keiser Report (RT 2014) Unusual Option Market Activity and the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, Allen M. Poteshman, University of Chicago Press Was There Abnormal Trading in the S&P 500 Index Options Prior to the September 11 Attacks?, Wing-Keung Wong, Asia University, Department of Finance Detecting Abnormal Trading Activities in Option Markets, Marc Chesney (University of Zurich - Department of Banking and Finance), Remo Crameri (University of Zurich - Swiss Banking Institute ISB), Loriano Mancini (USI Lugano - Institute of Finance; Swiss Finance Institute)  

This month marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the day two planes, hijacked by members of Al Qaeda, flew into the world trade centre in New York City, killing thousands. A third plane hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon that day, the headquarters of the US military, while a fourth crashed in Pennsylvania, after its passengers managed to divert it from its original target.  A 20-year war in Afghanistan was supposed to have eradicated Al Qaeda and Islamic terrorism, but last month, as the United States army was evacuating its personnel and allies from Kabul airport, ISIS K, a different Islamist terrorist  organisation, attacked the airport with suicide bombers, killing at least 60 civilians and 13 US troops.  Is it the willingness to use violence what defines an extremist? Or is it perhaps their extreme ideas, occupying the far ends of the ideological spectrums of politics and religion? Can the status quo ever be considered extremist? And what do people mean when they say that extremes meet - that extremists of all political orientations and religions have something deep in common? Quassim Cassam is professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick, and author of the just published book Extremism: A Philosophical Analysis. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. This podcast is created in partnership with The Philosopher, the UK's longest running public philosophy journal. Check out the autumn season of online philosophy webinars: https://www.thephilosopher1923.org Artwork by Nick HallidayMusic by Rowan Mcilvride

Jack Russell Weinstein visits with Quassim Cassam, philosophy professor at the University of Warwick in the UK>

In this episode of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Quassim Cassam to discuss his work on the possibility of knowledge. Dr. Cassam is a first rate thinker and his work on how-possible questions has changed the way I think. I've been wanting to have this conversation for 4 or 5 years and he didn't disappoint! Grab his book here to support the podcast: https://amzn.to/3gZvBk0 If you like this podcast, then support it on Patreon for $1, $3, or $5 a month. Any amount helps, and for $5 you get a Parker's Pensées sticker and instant access to all the episode as I record them instead of waiting for their release date. Check it out here: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parkers_pensees If you want to give a one-time gift, you can give at my Paypal: https://paypal.me/ParkersPensees?locale.x=en_US Check out my merchandise at my Teespring store: https://teespring.com/stores/parkers-penses-merch Check out my blog posts: https://parkersettecase.com/ Check out my Parker's Pensées YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYbTRurpFP5q4TpDD_P2JDA Check out my other YouTube channel on my frogs and turtles: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParkerSettecase Check me out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trendsettercase Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkers_pensees/ Time Is Running by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6203-time-is-running License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/parkers-pensees/support

Most of us are healthier, wealthier and better educated than ever before. We have greater access to knowledge and expertise than any previous generation. So, why do humans keep doing stupid things? And why is the world awash with conspiracy? Have we already past “peak intelligence”? And if so, what can we do to ensure a smarter future?

Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘seeing things as they really are’ only erodes our ability to see the truth? What if our convictions and suspicions actually make it easier for truly dangerous people to remain hidden from our view? What do you mean ‘that’s exactly how they want you to think’? Who are ‘they’? Ah, I see. Contents Part I. Origins Part II. Solutions Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Conspiracy Theories, Quassim Cassam. (Book) Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton. (Book) Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked untie an Intellectual Black Hole, Stephen Law. (Book) Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Michael Shermer. (Audiobook) Alex Jones Chases a Guy Across the Street. (YouTube) Alex Jones and Andrew Neil, BBC. (YouTube)

Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘seeing things as they really are’ only erodes our ability to see the truth? What if our convictions and suspicions actually make it easier for truly dangerous people to remain hidden from our view? What do you mean ‘that’s exactly how they want you to think’? Who are ‘they’? Ah, I see. Contents Part I. Origins Part II. Solutions Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Conspiracy Theories, Quassim Cassam. (Book) Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton. (Book) Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked untie an Intellectual Black Hole, Stephen Law. (Book) Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Michael Shermer. (Audiobook) Alex Jones Chases a Guy Across the Street. (YouTube) Alex Jones and Andrew Neil, BBC. (YouTube)

In this episode of Tent Talks, I speak with the philosopher Quassim Cassam on the topic of extremism. Dr. Cassam is a professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick and has made contributions to many different areas of the field. A lot of his earlier work focuses more on traditional topics in epistemology, likeContinue reading "61. Extremism (with Professor Quassim Cassam)"

Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘seeing things as they really are’ only erodes our ability to see the truth? What if our convictions and suspicions actually make it easier for truly dangerous people to remain hidden from our view? What do you mean ‘that’s exactly how they want you to think’? Who are ‘they’? Ah, I see. Contents Part I. Origins Part II. Solutions Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Conspiracy Theories, Quassim Cassam. (Book) Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton. (Book) Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked untie an Intellectual Black Hole, Stephen Law. (Book) Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Michael Shermer. (Audiobook) Alex Jones Chases a Guy Across the Street. (YouTube) Alex Jones and Andrew Neil, BBC. (YouTube)

The mathematician John Allen Paulos once said, “uncertainty is the only certainty there is”. One year on from the beginning of the first lockdown, never has this felt more true. In light of this, how certain should we be in our judgments about the decisions that were taken by those in power over the last twelve months? One strongly-held view is that had the government and its advisors been more decisive, acting with greater moral clarity in the early stages of the pandemic, more lives would have been saved. While for others, hindsight is 20:20 and context is everything, and any decisions taken in the midst of extreme uncertainty must be judged accordingly. In the last year we have witnessed anything but moral clarity in our passionate debates about the balance of harms and the clashes of good versus good. Public health has been pitted against livelihoods, family life, culture and the right to protest. What lessons should we take from the pandemic about the moral value of certainty? Uncertainty, particularly if it is prolonged, is psychologically bad for us and something we instinctively want to avoid for the sake of our mental health. In leadership, we admire those who have a clarity of vision, who are not paralysed by indecision and who keep their doubts to themselves. Others, however, believe that the reason society is so polarised is because too many people are certain they are right, and that moral certitude often has the effect of pandering to one group of people while alienating another. Is it a moment to embrace complexity, humility and self-reflection? Or has the last year provided a moral clarity about all sorts of things, notably injustices, that must now push back hard against any lingering doubt? With Raghib Ali, Lord David Blunkett, Jonathan Calvert and Quassim Cassam. Producer: Dan Tierney.

Quassim Cassam is Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. You can follow him on Twitter at .@QCassam.  Quassim's research focus is epistemology, the area of philosophy that deals with topics pertaining to knowledge, The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Quassim Cassam is Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. You can follow him on Twitter at .@QCassam.  Quassim's research focus is epistemology, the area of philosophy that deals with topics pertaining to knowledge, The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Future of Truth project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Quassim Cassam is Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick.  You can follow him on Twitter at @QCassam.  Quassim’s research focus is epistemology, the area of philosophy that deals with topics pertaining to knowledge, how it is acquired, and how it is shared.  His most current work is devoted to analyzing the various ways in which the pursuit of knowledge can be subverted.  And this has led him to investigate the idea of intellectual vices, habits of thought that systematically led us astray.  In this episode, we talk about conspiracy theories: What are they? How do they spread?  What is their relevance for democracy? --- Follow the podcast on Twitter @WhyArguePod and on Instagram @WhyWeArguePod. Follow our host, Robert Talisse, @RobertTalisse.

Quassim Cassam is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick and the author of the book Conspiracy Theories.Quassim's book ‘Conspiracy Theories' is out now: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781509535835?gC=5a105e8bFollow Quassim:Twitter: https://twitter.com/qcassam?lang=enWebsite: https://www.quassimcassam.com/Subscribe to The Kempcast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-kempcast/id1509339264Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0jpyA0_lbm5B7ugrgNEOugInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosskemptv/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RossKempFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossKempTVProduced by The Chancer Collective: http://thechancercollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_chancer_collective/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChancerCollectMusic by Reteps: http://reteps.net/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Quassim Cassam, Lisa Bortolotti, and Cailin O’Connor consider the world's misinformation problem, its causes, and some potential solutions.

The SARS-Covid-2 pandemic brought to the surface something that has accompanied other pandemics in the past: conspiracy theories. Now, with several vaccines having been developed, the conspiracy theories have turned to them.But how should we understand conspiracy theories? And why do people find them so attractive? Do the producers of conspiracy theories really believe in them? And what does the rise of populism have to do with the proliferation of conspiracy theories? Quassim Cassam, is professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick, and author of the book Conspiracy Theories, in which he argues that the main function of conspiracy theories is political propaganda. This podcast is created in partnership with The Philosopher, the UK’s longest running public philosophy journal. If you’d like to read a sample of some of the best public philosophy out there, and subscribe to the journal, go to: www.thephilosopher1923.org/subscribe. Music by Pataphysical: https://soundcloud.com/pataphysicaltransmission Artwork by Nick Halliday: https://www.hallidaybooks.com/design

Today, our alien scientists meet up with Dr. Quassim Cassam, a philosopher at the University of Warwick who specializes in perception and acquisition of knowledge. He is particularly interested in the ways in which we come to doubt what we know and has recently written a book on the subject of mistrust called "Conspiracy Theories." The conversation investigates new ways to assess the validity of information and how to navigate the border between skepticism and outright distrust. Please subscribe & review our channel so we can bring you more like this!!! Support Dr. Cassam & DS when you buy his books: Conspiracy Theories: https://amzn.to/34C0JAD Vices of the Mind: https://amzn.to/3l3skQK More readings from us: https://demystifyingscience.com Our Free Weekly Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gRUCZL Let's talk! @DemystifySci Twitter: https://twitter.com/demystifysci Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/demystifysci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/demystifysci Podcast: https://anchor.fm/demystifying-science ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Music: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shilo Delay: https://soundcloud.com/laterisgone Mermaids by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6403-mermaids License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/demystifying-science/support

With the planet in lockdown and citizens spending more time online than ever before conspiracy theories are spreading like wildfire. People are clammering for explanations, however farfetched, for the unprecedented circumstances they find themselves in. This often results in turning to the mirky corners of the internet filled with conspiracy theorists, preaching their version of the facts, often for notoriety and personal profit. On this episode I speak with Warwick University Professor of Philosophy Quassim Cassam for an in-depth conversation on conspiracy theories, the psychology behind them and the shady characters trying to get you to believe.

Part four of the Expert guide to conspiracy theories from The Anthill podcast explores whether the internet has been a game changer in helping conspiracy theories go viral. First, though, we find out how conspiracy theories spread before platforms like Facebook and YouTube came along and gave everyone the power to broadcast their thoughts to the world.It's important to differentiate between the producers of conspiracy theories and the consumers, which philosopher Quassim Cassam talked about in part one of the series. The producers often push a political ideology. They are also very good at dressing up their theories in academic language. This can make it difficult for the non-expert to recognise a conspiracy theory as bogus and is important for their initial spread.But what makes these ideas really take hold is the people that buy into them – the consumers. Annika Rabo, an anthropologist from Stockholm University in Sweden, tells us how people enjoy spreading conspiracy theories because it can make them seem funny or clever. Most people don't just spout a conspiracy theory as they hear it, they will often adapt it to their situation – and their audience.Michael Butter, American studies scholar at the University of Tübingen in Germany, gives us some insight into the history of how conspiracy theories spread in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some were preached from pulpits and incited riots. Then, advances in printing technology made it easier for conspiracy theories to spread. Publishers made money selling fanciful stories – some that were openly fictional, others that were fake exposés.We also delve into the world of conspiracy theories as entertainment. Clare Birchall, reader in contemporary culture at King's College London, talks us through literature in the 1960s, 70s and 80s that engages with conspiracy theories in a playful way and uses them as a device to tell stories. We find out how The X-Files did something similar in the 1990s.The internet has changed the game for communication in terms of how quickly information travels and how it gives everyone a platform to broadcast their views. But Stef Aupers, professor of media culture at the University of Leuven in Belgium, explains that this doesn't necessarily mean conspiracy theories reach more people. In large part, this is because most people end up in echo chambers online. Nonetheless, these echo chambers help solidify people's views.Correction: this podcast refers to the 2019 mass shooting targeting Mexicans in El Paso, Texas, as happening in El Paso, New Mexico.The Anthill podcast is produced by Annabel Bligh and Gemma Ware for The Conversation. Sound design is by Eloise Stevens, with original music from Neeta Sarl and audio from Epidemic Sound. Thanks to City, University of London, for letting us use their studios. Special thanks to Clare Birchall, Michael Butter and Peter Knight who helped bring this podcast into being, and to the COST Action COMPACT for funding it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At the juncture between political marginalization, a growing concentration of power in elites, fear of an uncertain future and of other groups, distrust in establishments, real and imagined victimhood, mass media, prejudiced thinking and the need for a narrative connecting it all together, lies the conspiracy theory. In each case, an image is conjured of a clandestine group of powerful individuals meeting in shady or opulent spaces and hashing out the direction of world politics without anybody to stop them. They are conspiring to siphon off Earth's resources, divide land and people while wreaking havoc and gathering plunder. Conspiratorial knowledge has been a defining feature of the global political landscape, and while its impacts have been felt at the level of presidential elections, regime changes and mass shootings, major media outlets still fail to understand their appeal. To better understand the forces driving conspiratorial knowledge and its influence, Al Bawaba spoke with Quassim Cassam, a professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick who is an expert on conspiracy theories. His new book, Conspiracy Theories, details their persistent popularity as well as staking out their potentially fatal consequences.

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? In his new book Conspiracy Theories (Polity, 2019), philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. Marshall Poe is the editor of the New Books Network. He can be reached at marshallpoe@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? In his new book Conspiracy Theories (Polity, 2019), philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. Marshall Poe is the editor of the New Books Network. He can be reached at marshallpoe@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? In his new book Conspiracy Theories (Polity, 2019), philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. Marshall Poe is the editor of the New Books Network. He can be reached at marshallpoe@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? In his new book Conspiracy Theories (Polity, 2019), philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. Marshall Poe is the editor of the New Books Network. He can be reached at marshallpoe@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? In his new book Conspiracy Theories (Polity, 2019), philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. Marshall Poe is the editor of the New Books Network. He can be reached at marshallpoe@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9/11 was an inside job. The Holocaust is a myth promoted to serve Jewish interests. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a false flag operation. Climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government. These are all conspiracy theories. A glance online or at bestseller lists reveals how popular some of them are. Even if there is plenty of evidence to disprove them, people persist in propagating them. Why? In his new book Conspiracy Theories (Polity, 2019), philosopher Quassim Cassam explains how conspiracy theories are different from ordinary theories about conspiracies. He argues that conspiracy theories are forms of propaganda and their function is to promote a political agenda. Although conspiracy theories are sometimes defended on the grounds that they uncover evidence of bad behaviour by political leaders, they do much more harm than good, with some resulting in the deaths of large numbers of people. There can be no clearer indication that something has gone wrong with our intellectual and political culture than the fact that conspiracy theories have become mainstream. When they are dangerous, we cannot afford to ignore them. At the same time, refuting them by rational argument is difficult because conspiracy theorists discount or reject evidence that disproves their theories. As conspiracy theories are so often smokescreens for political ends, we need to come up with political as well as intellectual responses if we are to have any hope of defeating them. Marshall Poe is the editor of the New Books Network. He can be reached at marshallpoe@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Jack talk about the social and political role of the monarchy which descends into a conversation about how the monarchy is a magnet for conspiracy theories and the left's relationship with conspiracy thinking. This week's segment takes those discussions further and builds upon the work of the philosopher Quassim Cassam and his research into the nature of conspiracy theories to better understand the left's relationship with bizarre and problematic conspiracy fringe groups. --- Mandatory Redistribution Party was created and produced by Sean Morley and Jack Evans. Our title theme was created by Ella Jean with additional music provided by Kahwe (https://soundcloud.com/kahwe). If you want to find out more about Quassim Cassam's work you can find his book on conspiracy theories here.  

  Summary on intellectual Vices http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/65080/1/7%20Intellectual%20Vice%20and%20Self-awareness.pdf   Interview with Quassim Cassam  https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9yc3MuYXJ0MTkuY29tL3NlYW4tY2Fycm9sbHMtbWluZHNjYXBl&episode=Z2lkOi8vYXJ0MTktZXBpc29kZS1sb2NhdG9yL1YwL1dXQVowOUFKQ1hmVWhkVjUtV01md1JhWTd0SGxhQXZsbjF0aU1fLVdPREk&hl=en-AU&ep=6&at=1570074349310   About Us From the Trenches is brought to you by Paul Meissner from Freedom Mentoring and David Boyar from Sequel CFO. Proudly sponsored by BGL and The Outsourced Accountant.

Reviewish* Jesse's Goodr Sunglasses Main Topic - Intellectual Vice* Sean Carroll's Mindscape Podcast - Episode 61 - Quassim Cassam on Intellectual Vices * Book - Vices of the Mind by Quassim Cassam * Book - Thinking Fast, and Slow by Daniel Kahneman* Book - Book - On Bullshit by Harry FrankfurtScriptures Read* Luke 10:13-16* Romans 1:18-23Quotations on Open Minds by GK Chesterton“An open mind is really a mark of foolishness, like an open mouth. Mouths and minds were made to shut; they were made to open only in order to shut.” (Illustrated London News. October 10, 1908)“The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.” (Autobiography)https://www.chesterton.org/open-mind/

All of us have been wrong about things from time to time. But sometimes it was a simple, forgivable mistake, while other times we really should have been correct. Properties that systematically prevent us from being correct, and for which we can legitimately be blamed, are “intellectual vices.” Examples might include closed-mindedness, wishful thinking, overconfidence, selective attention, and so on. Quassim Cassam is a philosopher who studies knowledge in various forms, and who has recently written a book Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political. We talk about the nature of intellectual vices, how they manifest in people and in organizations, and what we can possibly do to correct them in ourselves.Support Mindscape on Patreon.Quassim Cassam received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Oxford University. He is currently Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick. He previously held faculty positions at Cambridge University and University College London. He has served as the president of the Aristotelian Society, and was awarded a Leadership Fellowship by the Arts and Humanities Research Council in the UK.Web pagePhilPeople profileWikipediaAmazon.com author pageSelf-Knowlege for Humans web siteTwitter

Sometimes people are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of what they believe. And sometimes they are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of how they believe – broadly, their ways of thinking, inquiring, handling evidence, and managing information. We sometimes criticize others for being careless, dogmatic, gullible, and so on. These evaluations often have the form of appraisals of the persons to whom they are applied. So, just as we might speak of intellectual virtues, we can also speak of intellectual vices. In Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political (Oxford University Press, 2019), Quassim Cassam develops a conception of epistemic vice, and explores the sites where specific vices of this kind appear. The result is a fascinating examination of the ways in which individuals’ flawed ways of thinking can impact the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes people are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of what they believe. And sometimes they are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of how they believe – broadly, their ways of thinking, inquiring, handling evidence, and managing information. We sometimes criticize others for being careless, dogmatic, gullible, and so on. These evaluations often have the form of appraisals of the persons to whom they are applied. So, just as we might speak of intellectual virtues, we can also speak of intellectual vices. In Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political (Oxford University Press, 2019), Quassim Cassam develops a conception of epistemic vice, and explores the sites where specific vices of this kind appear. The result is a fascinating examination of the ways in which individuals’ flawed ways of thinking can impact the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes people are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of what they believe. And sometimes they are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of how they believe – broadly, their ways of thinking, inquiring, handling evidence, and managing information. We sometimes criticize others for being careless, dogmatic, gullible, and so on. These evaluations often have the form of appraisals of the persons to whom they are applied. So, just as we might speak of intellectual virtues, we can also speak of intellectual vices. In Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political (Oxford University Press, 2019), Quassim Cassam develops a conception of epistemic vice, and explores the sites where specific vices of this kind appear. The result is a fascinating examination of the ways in which individuals’ flawed ways of thinking can impact the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes people are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of what they believe. And sometimes they are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of how they believe – broadly, their ways of thinking, inquiring, handling evidence, and managing information. We sometimes criticize others for being careless, dogmatic, gullible, and so on. These evaluations often have the form of appraisals of the persons to whom they are applied. So, just as we might speak of intellectual virtues, we can also speak of intellectual vices. In Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political (Oxford University Press, 2019), Quassim Cassam develops a conception of epistemic vice, and explores the sites where specific vices of this kind appear. The result is a fascinating examination of the ways in which individuals’ flawed ways of thinking can impact the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes people are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of what they believe. And sometimes they are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of how they believe – broadly, their ways of thinking, inquiring, handling evidence, and managing information. We sometimes criticize others for being careless, dogmatic, gullible, and so on. These evaluations often have the form of appraisals of the persons to whom they are applied. So, just as we might speak of intellectual virtues, we can also speak of intellectual vices. In Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political (Oxford University Press, 2019), Quassim Cassam develops a conception of epistemic vice, and explores the sites where specific vices of this kind appear. The result is a fascinating examination of the ways in which individuals' flawed ways of thinking can impact the world.

Sometimes people are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of what they believe. And sometimes they are blameworthy or otherwise not admirable because of how they believe – broadly, their ways of thinking, inquiring, handling evidence, and managing information. We sometimes criticize others for being careless, dogmatic, gullible, and so on. These evaluations often have the form of appraisals of the persons to whom they are applied. So, just as we might speak of intellectual virtues, we can also speak of intellectual vices. In Vices of the Mind: From the Intellectual to the Political (Oxford University Press, 2019), Quassim Cassam develops a conception of epistemic vice, and explores the sites where specific vices of this kind appear. The result is a fascinating examination of the ways in which individuals' flawed ways of thinking can impact the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychology

Self-knowledge, intellectual vices & conspiracy theories are debated by Professor Quassim Cassam and presenter Matthew Sweet. Plus New Generation Thinker Simon Beard discusses an exhibition of artwork commissioned by the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. And a re-release of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1973 sci-fi TV series Wire World on a Wire takes us into cybernetics and artificial life. Quassim Cassam's new book is called Vices of the Mind. Ground Zero Earth curated by Yasmine Rix runs at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk February 15th - March 22nd 2019. Producer: Debbie Kilbride

Who's pulling your strings - from advertisers and peer pressure to political campaigns and self-deception - hidden persuaders are everywhere. Journalist Poppy Noor, historian Sarah Marks, psychologist and magician, Gustav Kuhn, the philosopher, Quassim Cassam and Robert Colvile from the Centre for Policy Studies join Matthew Sweet to track them down. We're all confident that we know our own minds -- but do we? And if we don't, why not? Producer: Zahid Warley Quassim Cassam is professor of philosophy at Warwick University. He is the author of Self Knowledge for Humans and his new book, Vices of the Mind will be published next year. Gustav Kuhn teaches psychology at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His book Experiencing the Impossible : The Science of Magic will be published next year. Sarah Marks is a post-doctoral researcher at Birkbeck College in London where she is one of the team involved in the Hidden Persuaders project. Poppy Noor is a journalist and contributes to The Guardian newspaper. Robert Colvile is the director of the Centre for Policy Studies.

Quassim Cassam is Professor of Philosophy at University of Warwick in the UK.  His academic work resides at the intersection of epistemology and philosophy of mind, where he explores topics pertaining to self-knowledge, self-deception, and epistemic virtue and vice.  His forthcoming book is titled Vices of the Mind, and it will be published this year with Oxford University Press.

Quassim Cassam is Professor of Philosophy at University of Warwick in the UK. His academic work resides at the intersection of epistemology and philosophy of mind, where he explores topics pertaining to self-knowledge, self-deception, and epistemic virtue and vice. His forthcoming book is titled Vices of the Mind, and it will be published this year with Oxford University Press. The "Why We Argue" podcast is produced by the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut as part of the Humility and Conviction in Public Life project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Charles Pigden, of the University of Otago, is a leading light in the Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories; he even wrote the introduction to Matthew's book, "The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories". In this episode Matthew interviews Charles about a recent piece in which he takes Quassim Cassam, Adrian Vermuele and Cass Sunstein to task for portraying conspiracy theorists for suffering from a variety of epistemic vices. Why not sit back and relax as Charles and Matthew discuss both vices and virtues of the mind for the better part of just over an hour?  Music: Killed by history by Mastermind XS

In this episode, Quassim Cassam discusses an influential strategy for arguing against the idea that (for example) we're all in the Matrix. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.