March 7-“Conspiracy Theories and the Epistemic Power of Narratives”, a talk by Daniel Munro

Join us for “Conspiracy Theories and the Epistemic Power of Narratives”, a talk by Daniel Munro (York University) on Thursday, March 7 from 4:00-6:00 PM (MDT) in the Philosophy Department seminar room (Assiniboia Hall 2-02A) or on Zoom.

Everyone is welcome!

Abstract: When faced with emotionally painful truths, we have a tendency to turn to comforting narratives to distract ourselves (think: watching a cheesy rom-com to avoid dwelling on the recent death of a loved one). This talk explores how conspiracy theorists take advantage of this tendency. The dissemination of conspiracy theories often follows a particular pattern: they’re presented as alternatives to painful truths, and they’re packaged as part of broader narratives which are emotionally comforting. I argue that this way of presenting conspiracy theories can make people more likely to believe them, since the way conspiracy narratives arouse our emotions gives them a stronger ring of truth. Furthermore, I argue that this use of narratives is an especially powerful way to mislead people into believing misinformation, given the way conspiracy narratives vividly capture our imaginations. My account raises interesting implications for envisioning the future of the online misinformation landscape, especially how artificial storytellers could soon be used to mass-produce convincing conspiracy narratives.

Speaker: Daniel Munro is a postdoctoral fellow in philosophy at York University. Most of his research is about the nature and epistemic value of the imagination. He has recently been exploring how the imagination might be involved in people's engagement with conspiracy theories and other forms of misinformation.

Zoom ID: 920 6023 5649

Passcode: 470504