...What are conspiracy theories? - Explanations – power relations A conspiracy theory is an explanatory proposition that accuses two or more persons, a group, or an organization of having caused through secret planning and deliberate action, an illegal event or situation. People formulate conspiracy theories to explain, for example, power relations in social groups and the perceived existence of evil forces. - Oxford English Dictionary: The American Historical Review - 1909 According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first use of the phrase "conspiracy theory" occurred in a 1909 article in The American Historical Review Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? - A sense of control There are number of factors, but probably one of the most important ones in this instance is that, paradoxically, it gives people a sense of control. People hate randomness, they dread the sort of random occurrences that can destroy their lives, so as a mechanism against that dread, it turns out that it’s much easier to believe in a conspiracy. Then you have someone to blame, it’s not just randomness. - Psychological forces (VS evidence-based thinking) Psychological forces like motivated reasoning have long been associated with conspiracy thinking, but scientists are learning more every year. On the other side there is the evidence-based thinking which most of the people who do not believe in these theories have. o Motivated reasoning Motivated reasoning is an emotion-biased...
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..."As much as Americans like to think that we invented democracy, liberty, and freedom in the modern world, the reality is that almost every good idea of the founding period was stolen from European, and especially British, sources. Thus, America's founding ideas are really just the ideas of the English 'country party' put into action in British colonies. This is an achievement, to be sure, but it is in no way an especially or exceptional American achievement." There are many sources of influence for America’s ideals of liberty, freedom, and democracy in the modern world. Such as Democracy of ancient Greece, The Republic of ancient Rome, and the writings of Baron de Montesquieu. Many of these sources are distinctly English such as English common law, The Magna Carta. In regards to the specific comment above we look at the ‘Country Party’ and ‘The Cota Letters’. As an American I would like to think that our founding fathers’ have created something new and completely unique in t our country, however my readings have lead me to the understanding that the founding fathers had several sources of inspiration as to how to form and what kind of government to form in these states, united. The “Country Party” as mentioned in the quote above, is of particular importance to the ideas of Democracy, liberty, and freedom. The Country Party was especially inspired by political theorist, writer and philosopher Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke’s ideology was that of opposing...
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...Book Review ANGELS AND DEMONS I. 1. Bibliography card a. Title: Angels and Demons Author: Dan Brown Publication Date: May 2000 Publisher: Pocket Books b. Checked out from school library on February 1st 2. Summary card a. The Vatican City is about to explode. Eyes of the media and the people from all over the world are watching in horror. And in the critical moment something nobody expects happens… p 593- 600 b. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 II. 1. Characters Robert Langdon – a Harvard professor of religious symbology, that becomes a witness of the resurrection of an ancient secret society known as Illuminati. A very intelligent, sharp-minded, and a warm –hearted person. I really like this character because of his ability to understand the situation and try everything to help others. Quote: “Religions are not born from scratch. They grow from one another. Modern religion is a collage… an assimilated historical record of man’s quest to understand the divine.” (p 108) This quote represents one of the views on religion in this novel. As a man, that studied different kinds of religions all his life he looks at it only like another myth, but respects it’s influence on people. Vittoria Vetra – A beautiful particle physicist working in the world’s greatest nuclear research facility – CERN. She and her father had a goal to connect science and religion, by scientifically proving that God exists and almost succeeds in it. She helps...
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...Who Really are the Freemasons? Throughout modern history, an organization known as the Freemasons has created controversy and raised many questions about the true purpose or purposes behind their activities. It is said to be the world’s oldest and largest fraternity. It proclaims itself to be a group “comprised of adult men (18+) of good character from every country, religion, race, age, income, education, and opinion, who believe in a supreme being.”(What is Freemasonry?). Furthermore, the Freemasons claim to promote the idea that “each man has responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, faith, country, and fraternity.”(What is Freemasonry?). This sounds innocent enough, but does it provide a full picture of Freemasonry? While always a secretive organization, several events in modern times have led to an increased interest in the Freemasonry and suspicions about the actual reasons for their existence. How did the Freemasonry begin? One theory is that the Freemasons were originally a group of tradesmen who worked as masons. (www.grandlodge-tn.org) A mason is, by dictionary definition, “a person whose trade is building with units of various natural or artificial mineral products, as stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or tiles, usually with the use of mortar or cement as a bonding agent”. (www.dictionary.com). And according to historical records, the Freemasons began as illegal trade unions of stonemasons in England during the...
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...Boston. Though many said he spent his money to often on items of no importance he always was giving some of it to those who needed it more. This was sadly lost to the coming generations and other values and traditions. The USA has begun to lose these as well as the support of Christianity from the country to other battles but no one really understands how important faith in God is to a country. Especially with leaders of strong countries like America and Great Britain. The one thing that separated the United States of America from the other nations was the freedom to worship, teach, and pursue your dreams. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Hancock built the country on these principals. On the one dollar bill under the pyramid it says “Novus ordo Seclorum.” It means new order of the ages. These men wanted America to be different. Look at Abraham, he declared war on his own states! Just because he believed slavery was wrong. All countries have had their own Washington but not many had an Adams, Jefferson, and Hancock. In writing this paper I have come to realize that those of the past have always been wiser they just did not have the technologies we have and it is the people of the present and future who are blind to the calling and teaching of God. In the end John Hancock helped build what is today the free country of the United States of America. He did not always do the right thing in God’s eyes, but did what any person of true patriotism and bravery would do. John Hancock was...
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...The Illuminati Versus the Skeptics Captivating and confusing, a conspiracy that dates back thousands of years and has no clear answer. The Illuminati, a mysterious secretive society with plans to conquer the world and rule with force, has fascinated conspiracy theorists since before modern times. Though the idea has been around for thousands of years, plaguing the minds of the easily convinced and threatening world domination, the question remains: is the Illuminati really a group of tight-lipped masterminds, secretive enough to hide their identities and existence? Or is this yet another easily arguable conspiracy theory created to shock the masses and instill hysteria in the general public? Before we can delve into that question, it is important to first attempt to understand the facts (or lack thereof) surrounding this “society”, by exploring the origin of the Illuminati, its members, and the “evidence” (or lack thereof) that proves its existence. As interesting or compelling as one set of facts may be, there are hundreds of other websites, documentaries, and books claiming to have found truth in another, entirely different, set of facts. For the sake of argument, several of the most prominent theories will be brought up and investigated. These sets of facts occasionally conflict with one another even on the most basic of topics. As is clearly visible when simply discussing the origin of the society, many different people hold onto very different ideas. Perhaps...
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...August the 2nd 1990 Saddam Hussains forces crashed the defenses of oil rich Kuwait in fear of an Iraqi invasion into Saudi Arabia. The United States and her coalition allies poured into the Arabian Peninsula to form a deterrent that would be known as Desert Shield. The result was a series of diplomatic talks, negotiations and count negotiations that rapidly declined into a no hope situation. On August the 17th 1991 the Desert Shield became Desert Storm. The conflict was witnessed by millions through the IF, CNN and the BBC showing propaganda of the systematic eradication of Saddam's forces by a coalition far superior in technological, political and economic power. However what was little known was that from the outset the war was engineered, controlled and manipulated by an elite group. A group which had created the illusion of a man with power at the head of a million strong army on the verge of going nuclear. A man who had gained control of the 1/5 of the World's oil overnight. However in reality he was merely a pawn in amongst many pawns. Just a puppet in a grand master plan with the Gulf War as a well orchestrated stepping stone. The orchestrates of the War were by no means strangers to controlling major World events. In fact they have done so for centuries. From the shadows they have engineered every major war, revolution and recession. They control everything you read, everything you hear and everything you see. They have managed to indoctrinate an entire populace...
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...Preg 1 En la película “Angels & Demons” el personaje principal que es protagonizado por” Tom Hanks” .Este personaje tuvo sus estudios en Harvard y actualmente es maestro en tal prestigiosa universidad. Este personaje se basa en un sociólogo intelectual, inteligente, listo, con buen uso de la lógica. Todas las herramientas que se necesitaban para aclarar y llevar a cabo este caso de la manera más eficiente, este caso era aclarar unas amenazas de los iluminati a la iglesia católica. Este era el más apto para el caso, así lo ilustran en la película. En el filme lo presenta de una manera que lógicamente es fuera de la realidad, pero eso es lo que hace a este personaje interesante para los que ven este tipo de películas. Este personaje fue basado en un libro igual que el filme. De las ciencias sociales que son utilizadas por el personaje son la Antropología, Sociología de la religión, simbología y también lleva a cabo partes de las ciencias naturales como la química usada para el experimento que los científicos estaban realizando. Este llevo a cabo su investigación según estas ciencias, cada una tomo gran parte de su investigación sociológica en la película. Mayor parte se debía de su conocimiento de la iglesia y de sus historias como la leyenda de los iluminati y su propósito contra a la iglesia católica. La simbología lo ayudo por el caso de que la historia de tal grupo se compone de muchos símbolos creados por ellos mismo por ejemplo: la pirámide, el ojo encima de la...
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