What Does Conspiracy Theory Really Mean?

Conspiracy theory is an attempt to explain harmful or tragic events as the result of the actions of a small powerful group. These explanations reject the accepted narrative surrounding those events and instead credit a covert group or organization with carrying out a secret plot. Conspiracy theories have been a constant hum in the background for at least the past 100 years, with theories ranging from alien lizard rulers to shark attacks instigated by spies and elaborate multi-billion-dollar hoaxes.

Psychologists’ research offers insight into why people put faith in conspiracy theories such as QAnon. They are not new phenomena but have been a constant hum in the background for at least the past 100 years. The survivability of conspiracy theories may be aided by psychological biases and distrust of official sources.

Conspiration theories that flourished during the COVID-19 pandemic can be dangerous and have serious consequences for individuals, groups, and societies. It is not self-evident what renders conspiracy theories less warranted than justified suspicions of real conspiracies. Conspiracy theories are abundant in social and political discourse, with serious consequences for individuals, groups, and societies.

Karl Raimund Popper, a philosopher who put conspiracy theories on the philosophical agenda, discussed conspiracies as a political reality, while Machiavelli discussed conspiracies as a political reality.