Conspiracy Theories

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

That's the beauty of conspiracy theories:
- any shred of evidence that supports your claim, and you've proved your theory.
- No evidence? Well that just indicates there is a massive cover-up by someone - the government, big oil, big pharma, the lizard people etc
- If some of your evidence is proved wrong, well that's just misinformation which proves you were right!

Of course governments and big corporations never tell lies.

At least one of the enduring mysteries of our time was solved, but very few know anything about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_...hat_Killed_JFK

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

I've seen masses of conspiracy issues on 9/11. Fodder for the gullible, and there is an army of fodder producers and consumers in the US. Mostly, we're a bit more realistic here in AU.

The problem with the questions and the reasons they don't get a lot of attention is that doing that just gives them oxygen.

We have a growing and healthy fodder industry here if you consider all the stuff about Pt Arthur that they put out.

And I too have seen masses of evidence to the gullible contrary , just depends on which side of the gullible fence you might choose to sit on . I'm just putting it out there for people to make there own independent decision . Read and see the evidence from both sides . I'm not sure what port Arthur has to do with any conspiracy theories , but please inform us .

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Relevant

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

And I too have seen masses of evidence to the gullible contrary , just depends on which side of the gullible fence you might choose to sit on . I'm just putting it out there for people to make there own independent decision . Read and see the evidence from both sides . I'm not sure what port Arthur has to do with any conspiracy theories , but please inform us .

Some people will jump to accept any 'alternative' version of the facts regardless of their source. That's what gives conspiracy theories traction and once there is a core following, the gullible get roped in. At that point, it is no longer about the facts, it's about what you want to believe.

Re Pt Arthur, I'm not going to give it oxygen, but a few minutes on google should do it for you.

Did we land men on the moon?

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Did we land men on the moon?

You betcha.

[SWR Banned Find all posts View Profile Close SWR]

Where Did The Towers Go?

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

There's no evidence to prove that there is a god yet millions of you gullible people believe in him/her.

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

There's no evidence to prove that there is a god yet millions of you gullible people believe in him/her.

Try having that discussion when you're challenged to provide evidence that god does not exist. In the absence of evidence proving the non-existence of god, the only conclusion can be that god does exist.

[Ozpat Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ozpat]

Then so does Santa, the tooth fairy, Easter rabbit, leprechauns and all the rest.

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Try having that discussion when you're challenged to provide evidence that god does not exist. In the absence of evidence proving the non-existence of god, the only conclusion can be that god does exist.

Sorry, if there is no evidence that god does not exist, and no evidence that god does exist, then there is no conclusion. Just proving there is no evidence god does not exist isn't proof he/she does exist.

The onus of proof lies on those making the claim something exists. In science, we first try to prove an hypothesis wrong, and when we can't, then we try to prove it correct. You're stopping half way.

Can you prove aliens do not exist? lol.

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Sorry, if there is no evidence that god does not exist, and no evidence that god does exist, then there is no conclusion. Just proving there is no evidence god does not exist isn't proof he/she does exist.

The onus of proof lies on those making the claim something exists. In science, we first try to prove an hypothesis wrong, and when we can't, then we try to prove it correct. You're stopping half way.

Can you prove aliens do not exist? lol.

Explain that to the religious nutters. As soon as you mention "science" you're actually using one of gods creations again. More of "science" is revealed to us when - you guessed it - god wills it.

I also like the Stephen Fry argument. Theres no god, its actually a giant tea pot orbiting the earth that controls everything. Can that be disproven? Of course not. Therefore it must be true.

[Rogerthatv2 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Rogerthatv2]

I also like the Stephen Fry argument. Theres no god, its actually a giant tea pot orbiting the earth that controls everything. Can that be disproven? Of course not. Therefore it must be true.

There is a giant teapot orbiting the earth? Bugger me, there goes my theory that it was only lil teapot, short and stout.

Almost right but, You forgot one part that Fry underlines - Giant, undetectable teapot.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

The world is flat and sits on four elephants carried through the universe on the back of a giant turtle, sorry wrong world.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

The teapot argument is from the philosopher Betrand Russell in the 50's. It is intended to refute the idea that the burden of proof lies with the sceptic. I love it, it might go on my census form next year.

It could quite easily be used against conspiracy theorists:

"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes.
But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense.
If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time."

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Some people will jump to accept any 'alternative' version of the facts regardless of their source. That's what gives conspiracy theories traction and once there is a core following, the gullible get roped in. At that point, it is no longer about the facts, it's about what you want to believe.

Re Pt Arthur, I'm not going to give it oxygen, but a few minutes on google should do it for you.

Did we land men on the moon?

Additionally, people are far to eager to believe any version of "official facts" or anything thats represented as fact with enough conviction.Modern day marketing is a good example.