Episode 28: Epistemic Gulag Archipelago

Time codes to be updated shortly

Episode 28 was recorded shortly after another strict lockdown was implemented in Ontario, Canada, in order to mitigate a putative third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The episode begins with a discussion of the covid-related oppression of GraceLife church by the health authorities in Alberta, Canada. We then continue with an analysis of how social scientists view conspiracy theories.  We note that in general, social and political scientists view conspiracy theories as problematic and they characterize those who hold such theories as having a whole host of negative personality characteristics and dubious political motives.  To solve the putative problems associated with conspiracy theories, some social scientists advocate banning conspiracy theories, censoring conspiracy theorists, infiltrating and disrupting communities that hold conspiracy theories, re-educating the population to never question their epistemic authorities, and convincing people to defer to sanctioned experts.  We discuss the problems with these proposals and explain why conspiracy theorizing is a healthy component of democratic societies and how it helps prevent tyranny.  

Episode Timeline & Notes

0:00:00 - Opening Segment

0:00:00 -Grace Life Church

• Rebel News | RCMP raid Pastor James Coates' GraceLife Church - YouTube
• Rebel News | GraceLife Church Raided — Rebel Was There - YouTube
• Rebel News | Live from GraceLife! Kenney Threatens MLAs - YouTube
• Court permits Government to avoid producing Dr. Hinshaw’s evidence on lockdowns at May 3 trial of Pastor James Coates | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms

0:00:00 - Listener email

• Rickards, James. The Road to Ruin: The Global Elites' Secret Plan for the Next Financial Crisis. Penguin Random House, 2016. (pp. 89-91)
• SPARS Pandemic Scenario | Projects: Center for Health Security
• YouTube | China Observer - Vision Times | Di Dongsheng 2: They Run U.S. and the World in the Past 70 Years-2019 | China Expert and Xi's Man - YouTube

0:00:00 - Yeadon's Perspective

• EXCLUSIVE - Former Pfizer VP: ‘Your government is lying to you in a way that could lead to your death.’ | LifeSite
• Rumble Video | Former Pfizer VP speaks out about COVID vaccines and lockdowns
• The ex-Pfizer scientist who became an anti-vax hero.
• PolitiFact | Former Pfizer employee wrong that coronavirus pandemic is ‘effectively over’ in UK
• Freeland says COVID-19 has created a 'window of opportunity' to launch national child-care program | CBC News
• 2021 Liberal Convention – In Conversation with Chrystia Freeland and Ken Dryden - Y