The+Project

Many millions of people hold conspiracy theories to be the end-all truth; they believe that powerful people have worked together in order to withhold the truth about some important practice or some terrible event. A recent example is the belief, widespread in some parts of the world, that the attacks of 9/11 were carried out not by Al Qaeda, but by Israel or the United States. Those who subscribe to conspiracy theories may create serious risks, including risks of violence, and the existence of such theories raises significant challenges for policy and law. The first challenge is to understand the mechanisms by which conspiracy theories prosper; the second challenge is to understand how such theories might be undermined. Such theories typically spread as a result of identifiable cognitive blunders, operating in conjunction with informational and reputational influences. A distinctive feature of conspiracy theories is their self-sealing quality. Conspiracy theorists are not likely to be persuaded by an attempt to dispel their theories; they may even characterize that very attempt as further proof of the conspiracy.
 * __ Intro __**

Some believe that those who hold conspiracy theories typically suffer from a “crippled epistemology,” in accordance with which it is rational to hold such theories, the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups. Various policy dilemmas, such as the question whether it is better for government to rebut conspiracy theories or to ignore them, are explored in this light. // -ADRIAN VERMEULE Harvard University - Harvard Law School //


 * __ Your Job __**

Research one of the topics below and gather as much evidence as possible. Take a side as either a conspiracy theorist or a naysayer and support your point.

n Write 5-8 pages. n Have a working Thesis and SUPPORT IT THROUGHOUT YOUR PAPER. n A CLAIM for each paragraph that supports your thesis. n Have 5-8 different sources cited properly as well as an annotated bibliography. n Use 5-8 quotes CITED PROPERLY.
 * __ You must: __**
 * ** Please be sure that you take a side with your thesis. **

I know this seems like a daunting task, but remember the more information you find the easier it will be to write a well supported paper. We will have check-points throughout the writing process to ensure everyone is on task. n **__ IT MUST BE IN 12-FONT TIMES NEW ROMAN __** n **__ IT MUST TAKE A SIDE! __** n **__ IT MUST BE TURNED IN NO LATER THAN 1-12-2012. __**

n **Dinosauroid-like Alien Reptiles are dominating the World**
 * __ Topics: __**
 * BBC reporter David Icke claims that humanity is actually under the control of dinosauroid-like alien reptiles who must consume human blood to maintain their human appearance.

n **Apollo 11 Moon Landings were faked by NASA**
 * A classic among conspiracy theories, proponents of the Apollo moon landing hoax accusations allege the moon landings never took place, and were faked by NASA with possible CIA support.

n **Barcodes are really intended to Control people**
 * Some conspiracy theorists have proposed that barcodes are really intended to serve as means of control by a putative world government, or that they are Satanic in intent.

n **The Truth is out there, on Area 51**
 * The secretive nature of Area 51 and undoubted connection to classified aircraft research, together with reports of unusual phenomena, have led Area 51 to become a centerpiece of modern UFO and conspiracy theory folklore.

n **Microsoft sends messages on Wingdings Font**
 * The Wingdings Font included with Windows has a history of controversy. In 1992, only days after the release of Windows 3.1, it was discovered that the character sequence “NYC” in Wingdings was rendered as Skull and crossbones symbol, Star of David, and thumbs up gesture. This could be interpreted as a message of approval of killing Jews, especially those from New York City.

n **U.S. military caused the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami**
 * Popular Arab news services claim the U.S. and Indian militaries deliberately caused the Indian Ocean tsunamis with electromagnetic pulse technology.

n **The Nazis had a Moon Base**
 * Esoteric Hitlerists and conspiracy theorists interested in Nazi mysticism and World War II have speculated that the Germans landed on the Moon as early as 1942.

n ** Clinton Body Count **
 * The Clinton Body Count, as it is popularly known, is a conspiracy theory that Bill Clinton, while he was president and before, was quietly assassinating his associates (ostensibly anyone who got in the way of his career, such as Vince Foster). It was started as a retaliation to the Bush Body Count (which ostensibly had various members of the Bush family responsible for events like JFK assassination and the October surprise killing lesser co-conspirators on their way).

n **JFK**
 * This caused a number of conspiracy theories to develop. Central to this theory is the claim that the injuries received by Kennedy and Governor John Connally could not have been caused by a lone gunman behind the motorcade and to the right.

n Bible conspiracy theory

 * ===== o Bible conspiracy theories posit that much of what is known about the Bible, in particular the New Testament, is a deception. These theories variously claim that Jesus really had a wife, Mary Magdalene, and children. =====

n ** Philadelphia Experiment **
 * A supposed attempt to turn a U.S. Navy warship invisible that allegedly caused severe harm to on-board crew members. According to official sources, the experiment’s actual goal was only to make the ship invisible to torpedoes, through degaussing technology and other methods.

n DTV Transition

 * ==== Some theorists claim that forced transition to digital television broadcasting is practical realization of “Big Brother” concept. They claim that miniature cameras and microphones are built into set-top boxes and newer TV sets to spy on people. ====

n ** AIDS **
 * There are claims that AIDS is a human-made disease (i.e., created by scientists in a laboratory). Some of these theories allege that HIV was created by a conspiratorial group or by a secretive agency such as the CIA.

n **// Who Killed the Electric Car? //**
 * •Electric car technology has supposedly been suppressed by big oil and gas firms. The first suppression of such occurred shortly after the turn of the 20th century (in 1899 the world’s land speed record was set by an electric car at 65 mph); the second time was in 1913–1914 when the same interests sabotaged Henry Ford’s and Thomas Edison’s attempt to produce an ‘inexpensive’ electric car.

n ** Beatles **
 * O n October 1969, a rumour began circling that Paul McCartney, one of The Beatles, died in a car crash in late 1966 and was replaced by a lookalike. Proponents of the theory, which is commonly referred to as the //Paul is dead hoax//, cite “clues” in the form of peculiar album covers, possible symbolism in strange lyrics, and backmasking.
 * John Lennon also of The Beatles is supposed by some to have been assassinated by the CIA using mind manipulation upon Mark Chapman, because Lennon had too much influence.