Dimensions of Conspiracy : An inquiry into the cognitive and epistemic standing of conspiracy theories
(2025)- Abstract
- This doctoral thesis investigates the conceptual, epistemological, and
psychological dimensions of conspiracy theories, aiming to develop a more precise
and philosophically rigorous framework for understanding and evaluating them.
The work is structured around five original papers that address key questions:
What constitutes a conspiracy theory? Are such theories inherently irrational?
How should we conceptualize their epistemic status in light of expert testimony,
trust, and cognitive psychology?
The thesis begins by examining the contested nature of the term conspiracy
theory, revealing the limitations of both pejorative and overly broad definitions.
It engages with the philosophical debate between... (More) - This doctoral thesis investigates the conceptual, epistemological, and
psychological dimensions of conspiracy theories, aiming to develop a more precise
and philosophically rigorous framework for understanding and evaluating them.
The work is structured around five original papers that address key questions:
What constitutes a conspiracy theory? Are such theories inherently irrational?
How should we conceptualize their epistemic status in light of expert testimony,
trust, and cognitive psychology?
The thesis begins by examining the contested nature of the term conspiracy
theory, revealing the limitations of both pejorative and overly broad definitions.
It engages with the philosophical debate between generalism and particularism,
arguing for a neutral, theoretically useful definition based on Carnapian
conceptual engineering. It then explores whether belief in conspiracy theories can
be rational, with attention to decision-theoretic considerations and the epistemic
role of experts. The final chapter investigates why individuals come to endorse
conspiracy theories, evaluating claims that such beliefs are primarily driven by
irrationality, cognitive biases, or social belonging.
A central contribution is the development of the Dimensions framework—a
descriptive tool for analysing conspiracy theories not solely in terms of truth or
falsity, but with attention to the contexts, motivations, and epistemic norms
surrounding their adoption. This framework enables a more nuanced
understanding of conspiracy theories as complex social phenomena. By
combining conceptual analysis, epistemological evaluation, and psychological
insight, the thesis offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach that
contributes to ongoing debates in conspiracy theory theory—the academic study
of conspiracy theories—as well as to social epistemology more broadly. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/0823a80b-b4bf-4bfe-bf2f-02589fe7ff76
- author
- Tsapos, Melina LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Dutilh Novaes, Catarina, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-08-14
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- conspiracy theory, experts, critikal thinking, probability, social epistemology, conceptual engineering
- pages
- 202 pages
- publisher
- Department of Philosophy, Lund University
- defense location
- LUX C121
- defense date
- 2025-09-12 13:00:00
- ISBN
- 9789190055274
- 9789190055267
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0823a80b-b4bf-4bfe-bf2f-02589fe7ff76
- date added to LUP
- 2025-08-14 10:16:13
- date last changed
- 2025-08-18 10:46:59
@phdthesis{0823a80b-b4bf-4bfe-bf2f-02589fe7ff76,
abstract = {{This doctoral thesis investigates the conceptual, epistemological, and<br/>psychological dimensions of conspiracy theories, aiming to develop a more precise<br/>and philosophically rigorous framework for understanding and evaluating them.<br/>The work is structured around five original papers that address key questions:<br/>What constitutes a conspiracy theory? Are such theories inherently irrational?<br/>How should we conceptualize their epistemic status in light of expert testimony,<br/>trust, and cognitive psychology?<br/>The thesis begins by examining the contested nature of the term conspiracy<br/>theory, revealing the limitations of both pejorative and overly broad definitions.<br/>It engages with the philosophical debate between generalism and particularism,<br/>arguing for a neutral, theoretically useful definition based on Carnapian<br/>conceptual engineering. It then explores whether belief in conspiracy theories can<br/>be rational, with attention to decision-theoretic considerations and the epistemic<br/>role of experts. The final chapter investigates why individuals come to endorse<br/>conspiracy theories, evaluating claims that such beliefs are primarily driven by<br/>irrationality, cognitive biases, or social belonging.<br/>A central contribution is the development of the Dimensions framework—a<br/>descriptive tool for analysing conspiracy theories not solely in terms of truth or<br/>falsity, but with attention to the contexts, motivations, and epistemic norms<br/>surrounding their adoption. This framework enables a more nuanced<br/>understanding of conspiracy theories as complex social phenomena. By<br/>combining conceptual analysis, epistemological evaluation, and psychological<br/>insight, the thesis offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach that<br/>contributes to ongoing debates in conspiracy theory theory—the academic study<br/>of conspiracy theories—as well as to social epistemology more broadly.}},
author = {{Tsapos, Melina}},
isbn = {{9789190055274}},
keywords = {{conspiracy theory; experts; critikal thinking; probability; social epistemology; conceptual engineering}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{08}},
publisher = {{Department of Philosophy, Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Dimensions of Conspiracy : An inquiry into the cognitive and epistemic standing of conspiracy theories}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/225362834/Melina_Tsapos_-_WEBB.pdf}},
year = {{2025}},
}