Conspiracy theory

:For the fictional film, see Conspiracy Theory (movie).

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A conspiracy theory is a theory that claims an event or series of events is the result of secret manipulations by two or more individuals or an organization, rather than the result of a single perpetrator or natural occurrence, or that there is a conspiracy to cover up the true story by the government or media.

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Conspiracy theories often defy an official or dominant understanding of events. Even though some conspiracies are proven to exist, many more, even though they come to be widely accepted, are often propounded by advocates who substitute zeal for logic. While conspiracy theories vary widely in their plausibility, common standards of assessment can be applied to all:

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• Occam's razor - is the alternative story more, or less, probable than the mainstream story?
• Psychology - does the alternative story satisfy an identifiable psychological need for the believer?
• Falsifiability - are the "proofs" offered for the alternative story constructed with scientifically sound methodology?
• Whistleblowers - how many people–and what kind–have to be loyal conspirators?

Colloquially the term "conspiracy theory" is used to disparage any non-mainstream theory about current or historical events, often with the connotation that the theory is unfounded, outlandish, irrational or in some way unworthy of serious consideration. It is never used by a theory's proponents, only by its detractors.

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Conspiracy theory: Introduction ►