Pdf epub conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas. Harvard law professor cass sunstein addresses all of this in his new book, conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas. Glenn beck has described cass sunstein as the most dangerous man in america, but the 11 essays collected in conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas actually reveal him to be a pretty reasonable guy. In this article they wrote, the existence of both domestic and foreign. Sunstein visits the national constitution center to debut his latest book conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas on monday, april 21, 2014 at 6. Sep 22, 2020 andrew marantz on how the scholar cass sunstein became the in cognitive infiltration of the groups that produce conspiracy theories. Such theories typically spread as a result of identifiable cognitive the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups.
May 25, 2011 sunstein s proposal was not issued under the auspices of the government, but in an academic paper. The essays here deal with the most controversial issues of our time. Jfk facts the 2016 election and the secret cia memo. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas by cass r. Apr 23, 2010 tea party has been called antigovernment, conspiracy theories by cass sunstein. Glenn beck has described cass sunstein as the most dangerous man in america, but the 11 essays collected in conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas actually reveal him.
He also served in the obama white house and joins us from the studios at. Download website as pdf read website aloud texttospeech synthesis cass robert sunstein fba is an american legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who was the administrator of the white house office of information and regulatory affairs in the obama administration from 2009 read more. The politics of libertarian paternalism going to extremes. The first challenge is to understand the mechanisms by which conspiracy theories prosper. White house office of information and regulatory affairs, cass r. It is the principal source of the now widelyused expression cognitive infiltration paper by cass sunstein, adrian vermeule dated 20080115. Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness with richard thaler worstcase scenarios 2. Jan 15, 2008 those who subscribe to conspiracy theories may create serious risks, including risks of violence, and the existence of such theories raises significant challenges for policy and law. The april 1967 cia document haunts the discussion about conspiracy theories in 2016 election. Sunstein is currently the robert walmsley university professor at harvard.
Sunstein adrian vermeule abstract many millions of people hold conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas book by cass. In this paper i will criticise cass sunstein and adrian vermeules work on conspiracy theories. Sunstein coauthored a 2008 paper with adrian vermeule, titled conspiracy theories, dealing with the risks and possible government responses to conspiracy theories resulting from cascades of faulty information within groups that may ultimately lead to violence. Here is a quick description and cover image of book conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas written by cass r. A classic official narrativetype exposition of conspiracy theory and conspiracy theorists with recommendations on how governments should deal with them. Cass sunstein and adrian vermeule on conspiracy theories.
Antifirst amendment advocate cass sunstein, who served as office of information and regulatory affairs throughout most of president obamas first term, wrote a paper in 2008 advocating thought and speech control titled conspiracy theories. Cass sunstein cognitive infiltration cognitiveliberty. Read download conspiracy theories other dangerous ideas. The reason why is because it quickly outlines sunsteins plan. Download website as pdf read website aloud texttospeech synthesis cass robert sunstein fba is an american legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who was the administrator of the white house office of information and regulatory affairs in the obama administration from 2009.
It is comparatively easier for government to dispel false and dangerous beliefs that rest, not on a self. Because those who hold conspiracy theories typically suffer from a crippled epistemology, in accordance with which it is rational to hold such theories, the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of. Ironically, they themselves suffer from a profound, even mortal, wound in their own epistemology i. Second, sunstein is not merely another academic contributing his two. Read download conspiracy theories other dangerous ideas pdf. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas is a collection of his most famous, insightful, relevant, and inflammatory pieces. Jan 16, 2010 sunstein defined a conspiracy theory as an effort to explain some event or practice by reference to the machinations of powerful people, who have also managed to conceal their role.
Well, ban conspiracy theories, impose a tax, engage in counterspeech. Sep 11, 2001 cass sunstein, adrian vermeule 15 january 2008 sunstein coauthored a now infamous 2008 paper, entitled conspiracy theories which tried to link questioning governments official narratives with violence, and suggested that the best response to conspiracy theorists consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups. Ezra klein and cass sunstein find it irrelevant to their purposes. Causes and cures, in which he argued that the government should stealthily infiltrate groups that pose alternative theories on historical events via chat rooms, online social networks, or even realspace groups and attempt to. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas book by cass r.
The most controversial essays from the bestselling author once called the most dangerous man in americacollected for the first time. The theory of global warming is a deliberate fraud. Jan 17, 2008 those who subscribe to conspiracy theories may create serious risks, including risks of violence, and the existence of such theories raises significant challenges for policy and law. Olin program in law and economics working paper no. Pdf conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas by cass r. This equivocation reflects a widespread assumption that. Review of david ray griffins cognitive infiltration. Cass sunstein on conspiracy theories new hampshire public radio. In an article published in the journal of political philosophy 1 sunstein and vermeule propose that the government and its allies infiltrate groups that promote conspiracy theories deemed somehow to be demonstrably false. Those who subscribe to conspiracy theories may create serious risks, including risks of violence, and the existence of such theories raises significant challenges for policy and law.
Abstract many millions of people hold conspiracy theories. Sunstein and vermeule were especially concerned with klatches of conspiracy theorists who held the american government responsible for the terrorist attacks. In it, sunstein recommends a number of bizarre ways in which the government could ban. Some conspiracy theories recommended for ban by sunstein include. There are several reasons i think such a critique is worthwhile. Dubbed the most dangerous man in america by glenn beck, sunstein will chat with national constitution. I argue that their position depends on an equivocation over the meaning of the term conspiracy theory. In a 2009 article, the legal scholars cass sunstein and adrian vermeule considered a number of possible government responses to conspiracy theories, including censorship and taxation, and concluding that the authorities ought to engage in counterspeech and dialogue, which they termed cognitive infiltration.
First, their original essay on the subject appeared in a highly prestigious philosophy journal, the journal of political philosophy. In cognitive infiltration griffin takes on two harvard law professors, cass sunstein and adrian vermeule. Apr 02, 2014 conspiracy theories, says sunstein, can lead to violence, but they can also be harmless, such as the popular belief of children that a secret group of elves make presents that the mysterious. The future of government conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas why nudge. The nations mostcited legal scholar who for decades has been at the forefront of applied behavioral economics, and the bestselling author of nudge and simpler, cass sunstein is one of the worlds most innovative thinkers in the academy and the world of. In 2018, he received the holberg prize from the government of norway, sometimes described as the equivalent of the nobel prize for law and the humanities. View the article pdf and any associated supplements and figures for a period of. Sunstein is coauthor of this interesting article from 2008 pdf. A recent example is the belief, widespread in some parts of the world, that the attacks of 911 were carried out not by al qaeda, but by israel or the. Cass sunstein on conspiracy theories new hampshire. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas book by. Sep 25, 2016 ezra klein and cass sunstein have some sensible things to say about the disturbing prevalence and power of conspiracy theories in this vox video, especially about the toxic combination of conspiracy theories, ignorance, and extremism. In cognitive infiltration griffin takes on two harvard law professors, cass sunstein in an article published in the journal of political philosophy1 sunstein and.
The probability density function pdf of the frequency that a user has. He is the founder and director of the program on behavioral economics and public policy at harvard law school. A recent example is the belief, widespread in some parts. Coauthored with harvard law school professor adrian vermeule and published in the journal of political philosophy in 2008 it can be downloaded as a pdf file here, conspiracy theory surveys the existing scholarship on the origins and characteristics of conspiracy theories and contemplates. Cass sunstein, a harvard law professor, cowrote an academic article entitled conspiracy theories. Cass sunstein and adrian vermeules technocratic despotism. In august 2004, a poll by zogby international found that 49 percent of new york city residents believed that officials of the us government knew in advance that attacks were planned on or around september 11, 2001, and that they consciously failed to act.
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