Epistemology of Conspiracy Theories
This interdisciplinary course explores the rise of conspiracy theory and disinformation as a current manifestation of the perennial struggle between truth and power. As an antidote to the idea we now live in a ‘post-truth’ world we employ epistemology, a foundational branch of philosophy that asks how do you know what you think you know is true? We examine Plato on the Noble Lie, Alfarabi on hierarchies of truth, Machiavelli and Chanakya on perception and power, as well as works of Lyotard, Baudrillard and Orwell’s 1984. We explore theories of manipulating consent in politics and commerce, along with historical conspiracy case studies, concluding with student research on current instances of narrative manipulation.
This network course includes an online section that is open to enrollment to GHEA21 students across the network. Please visit the GHEA21 Online Courses for further information.
BRAC University offers this course under the name "HUM 207: Narratives of Truth and Lies".
BRAC University
- Bruce Matthews, Bard Early Colleges
- Syed Mahfuzur Rahman, BRAC University