Episode 28: Epistemic Gulag Archipelago

Time codes to be updated shortlyEpisode 28 was recorded shortly after another strict lockdown was implemented in Ontario, Canada, in order to mitigate a putative third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The episode begins with a discussion of the covid-related oppression of GraceLife church by the health authorities in Alberta, Canada. We then continue with an analysis of how social scientists view conspiracy theories.  We note that in general, social and political scientists view conspiracy theories as problematic and they characterize those who hold such theories as having a whole host of negative personality characteristics and dubious political motives.  To solve the putative problems associated with conspiracy theories, some social scientists advocate banning conspiracy theories, censoring conspiracy theorists, infiltrating and disrupting communities that hold conspiracy theories, re-educating the population to never question their epistemic authorities, and convincing people to defer to sanctioned experts.  We discuss the problems with these proposals and explain why conspiracy theorizing is a healthy component of democratic societies and how it helps prevent tyranny.  Episode Timeline & Notes0:00:00 - Opening Segment0:00:00 -Grace Life ChurchRebel News | RCMP raid Pastor James Coates' GraceLife Church - YouTubeRebel News | GraceLife Church Raided — Rebel Was There - YouTubeRebel News | Live from GraceLife! Kenney Threatens MLAs - YouTubeCourt permits Government to avoid producing Dr. Hinshaw’s evidence on lockdowns at May 3 trial of Pastor James Coates | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms0:00:00 - Listener emailRickards, James. The Road to Ruin: The Global Elites' Secret Plan for the Next Financial Crisis. Penguin Random House, 2016. (pp. 89-91)SPARS Pandemic Scenario | Projects: Center for Health SecurityYouTube | China Observer - Vision Times | Di Dongsheng 2: They Run U.S. and the World in the Past 70 Years-2019 | China Expert and Xi's Man - YouTube0:00:00 - Yeadon's PerspectiveEXCLUSIVE - Former Pfizer VP: ‘Your government is lying to you in a way that could lead to your death.’ | LifeSiteRumble Video | Former Pfizer VP speaks out about COVID vaccines and lockdownsThe ex-Pfizer scientist who became an anti-vax hero.PolitiFact | Former Pfizer employee wrong that coronavirus pandemic is ‘effectively over’ in UKFreeland says COVID-19 has created a 'window of opportunity' to launch national child-care program | CBC News2021 Liberal Convention – In Conversation with Chrystia Freeland and Ken Dryden - YouTubeFor Liberals, COVID is a “political opportunity” & an “epiphany”. - YouTubeGoldman Sachs (GS) Q4 2020 earnings crushes estimatesWarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar: Covid-19 has been "really good" for CNN's ratings - YouTube0:00:00 - Last episode reviewEpisode 27: Epistemic Establishment | Not Conformed0:00:00 - Conspiracy theorists as deficient humans: the social sciences perspectiveThe psychology of why people believe conspiracy theories - explained by experts - YouTube0:00:00 - Solutions of social scientists & some philosophers<a href="http