"Conspiracy Theory" vs. "Ludicrous Speculation"

[UdoKier]

It annoys me no end that in the popular parlance, "conspiracy theory" has come to mean "crazy speculation"

con·spir·a·cy     P   Pronunciation Key  (kn-spîr-s)
n. pl. con·spir·a·cies
An agreement to perform together an illegal, wrongful, or subversive act.

A group of conspirators.

Law. An agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime or accomplish a legal purpose through illegal action.

A joining or acting together, as if by sinister design: a conspiracy of wind and tide that devastated coastal areas.


the·o·ry     P   Pronunciation Key  (th-r, thîr)
n. pl. the·o·ries
A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.

The branch of a science or art consisting of its explanatory statements, accepted principles, and methods of analysis, as opposed to practice: a fine musician who had never studied theory.

A set of theorems that constitute a systematic view of a branch of mathematics.

Abstract reasoning; speculation: a decision based on experience rather than theory.

A belief or principle that guides action or assists comprehension or judgment: staked out the house on the theory that criminals usually return to the scene of the crime.

An assumption based on limited information or knowledge; a conjecture.


People. Conspiracies HAPPEN in real life. Without THEORIES about them, they could not be uncovered, unless they were totally obvious!

[Minstrel Boy]

1. It's used to shame into silence those who question authority.

Posted some thoughts about it on my blog a few months ago:

http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2004/08/magic-bullshit-theory.html

Kristina Borjesson, editor of Into the Buzzsaw, says that "anyone who doesn't buy the government's unproven theory...is a 'conspiracy theorist'" and

Tacitly attached to the term "conspiracy theorist" are all kinds of other nouns and adjectives like "goofball," "nutcake," "bottomfeeder," "crazy," and so on. Using insulting and false labels to marginalize dissenting or politically incorrect voices is a ploy that government and corporations as well as the press use on a daily basis.

[frylock]

2. that's a great book..

and I would recommend it to anyone who is even remotely interested in having the veil pulled from their eyes.

[tommcintyre]

3. Yeah.. kinda like what they did to the word "liberal" :( n/t