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Fachbereichskolloquium: Prof. Dr. Iris Žeželj

„Conspiracy theories: What are they good for?”

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Prof. Dr. Iris Žeželj, University of Belgrade
„Conspiracy theories: What are they good for?”

In the talk I will invite students to consider two important questions regarding conspiracy theories. First, do we have the right to treat them as “inherently 3I”: inferior, irrational and illfounded knowledge? What is “healthy skepticism”: the optimal position between being conspiratorial and fully naive? Are there positive consequences of belief in conspiracy theories? What is their role in democratic society? Second, do we need to combat conspiracy theories? If yes, what would be the most efficient way to do it? To illustrate this, we will turn to the role of conspiracy theories in COVID-19 pandemic.