A conspiracy theory portrays the conspirators as monolithic, faultless, and sinister agents bale, 2007. A conspiracy theory, on the other hand, is an intellectual construct, a template imposed upon the world to give the appearance of order to events. Cass sunsteins cognitive infiltration of conspiracy. Conspiracy theories and the people who believe them ebook. There are several reasons i think such a critique is worthwhile. Jan 20, 20 among the experts the newsweek author repeatedly quoted was cass sunstein, a harvard law professor, author of the recent book conspiracy theories, and a former highranking obama administration official. How many minds produce knowledge and good government reforms like reducing paperwork and simplifying tax forms. The book will be of major interest to those interested in politics and the law. In cognitive infiltration griffin takes on two harvard law professors, cass sunstein in an article published in the journal of political philosophy1 sunstein and. Sunstein himself has faced hate mail and threats after his time. Second, sunstein is not merely another academic contributing his two.
In august 2004, a poll by zogby international showed that 49 percent of new york. This equivocation reflects a widespread assumption that. Sunstein combines legal theory with behavioral economics to make a fresh argument about the legitimate scope of government, bearing on obesity, smoking, distracted driving, health care, food. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
That profound lapse is not faced until page 4, but even then that focus lasts only for the blink of an eye. Introducing rsa spotlights taking you straight to the heart of the event, highlighting our favourite moments and key talking points. Search for more papers by this author adrian vermeule. For 27 years, sunstein taught at the university of. First, their original essay on the subject appeared in a highly prestigious philosophy journal, the journal of political philosophy. Cass sunsteins cognitive infiltration of conspiracy theorists march 24, 2017 march 23, 2017 renegade 4 comments this jewish man was the administrator of the white house office of information and regulatory affairs in the obama administration from 2009 to 2012, where he formulated and enacted a plan to effectively neutralize the growing. Apr 22, 2014 conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas with cass r.
Harvard law professor cass sunstein addresses all of this in his new book, conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas. Obama, it seems, is vexed by the idea of conspiracy theories. Cass robert sunstein fba born september 21, 1954 is an american legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who was the administrator of the white house office of information and regulatory affairs in the obama administration from 2009 to 2012. The term conspiracy theory an invention of the cia. In this lovely, useful book, richard thaler and cass sunstein examine choices, biases and the limits of human reasoning from a variety of perspectives. Cass sunstein, the presidents information czar, has written a dissertation on conspiracy theories in which he uses the kennedy assassination as an example, says conspiracy theorists suffer from a faulty epistemology and calls for cognitive infiltration of conspiracy theory.
Cass sunstein, administrator of the white houses office of information and regulatory affairs, recently suggested that the feds should cognitively infiltrate conspiracy theorist hangouts and. It is the principal source of the now widelyused expression cognitive infiltration paper by cass sunstein, adrian vermeule dated 20080115. They often amuse by disclosing how they have fallen victim to the limitations of thought that they are describing. There are more than 1 million books that have been enjoyed by people from all over the world. Barkun writes that conspiracies are actual covert plots planned andor carried out by two or more persons.
Cass sunstein and adrian vermeule on conspiracy theories. Sunstein is currently the robert walmsley university professor at harvard. Jan 15, 2010 the most chronic and dangerous purveyors of conspiracy theory games are the very people sunstein thinks should be empowered to control our political debates through deceit and government. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas by cass r. Mark dice is a media analyst, political activist, and. Always update books hourly, if not looking, search in the book search column. Harvard law professor and former administrator of the white house office of information and regulatory affairs cass r. Olin program in law and economics working paper no. Cass sunstein is pictured in the white house in march 2011, when he was director of the office of. In cognitive infiltration griffin takes on two harvard law professors, cass sunstein and adrian vermeule. Conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideas book by cass. Cass sunstein on conspiracy theories new hampshire. Apparently people arent thinking the right thoughts.
The brief bio of sunstein newsday provides fails to mention, quite revealingly, that cass sunstein served the obama administration as administrator of the office of information and regulatory affairs. Sunstein adrian vermeule abstract many millions of people hold conspiracy theories. In 2018, he received the holberg prize from the government of norway, sometimes described as the equivalent of the nobel prize for law and the humanities. The nations mostcited legal scholar who for decades has been at the forefront of applied behavioral economics, and the bestselling author of nudge and simpler, cass sunstein is one of the worlds most innovative thinkers in the academy and the world of.
Such theories typically spread as a result of identifiable cognitive the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups. Get ebooks conspiracy theories and the people who believe them on pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi and audiobook for free. Antifirst amendment advocate cass sunstein, who served as office of information and regulatory affairs throughout most of president obamas first term, wrote a paper in 2008 advocating thought and speech control titled conspiracy theories. Feb 08, 2010 cass sunstein, administrator of the white houses office of information and regulatory affairs, recently suggested that the feds should cognitively infiltrate conspiracy theorist hangouts and. The president with his information czar cass sunstein, who thinks conspiracy theories are a threat.
Tea party has been called antigovernment, conspiracy theories by cass sunstein. In 2008, he authored a paper about conspiracy theories which claimed that belief in such theories was linked to violence. Category conspiracy publication date march 18, 2014 depending on whom you are and what kind of reading you do will largely determine the popularity of this book. By michael morella, staff writer april 21, 2014 by michael morella, staff writer april 21, 2014, at 8. Read website aloud texttospeech synthesis cass robert sunstein fba is an american legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who was the administrator of the white house office of information and regulatory affairs in the obama administration from 2009 to 2012. Well, ban conspiracy theories, impose a tax, engage in counterspeech. In other words, people dont trust the government and conspiracy theories are so pervasive precisely because government is typically filled with people like cass sunstein, who think that. Apr 21, 2014 author cass sunstein looks at why conspiracy theories persist.
Jan 16, 2010 in a lengthy academic paper, president obamas regulatory czar, cass sunstein, argued the u. He has defended the us governments official narrative about the events of september 11, 2001. May 25, 2011 sunstein s proposal was not issued under the auspices of the government, but in an academic paper. Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness and infotopia. Sunstein law, harvard university and adrian vermeule law, harvard university t he truth is out there. He is the founder and director of the program on behavioral economics and public policy at harvard law school. During the obama first term, sunstein in effect oversaw all federal regulation at the white houses office of management and budget. A recent example is the belief, widespread in some parts. The most controversial essays from the bestselling author once called the most dangerous man in americacollected for the first time. Cass robert sunstein fba born september 21, 1954 is an american legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law. Cass sunstein explains why people believe conspiracy theories. In august 2004, a poll by zogby international found that 49 percent of new york city residents believed that officials of the us government knew in advance that attacks were planned on or around september 11, 2001, and that they consciously failed to act. In this paper i will criticise cass sunstein and adrian vermeules work on conspiracy theories.
Sunstein visited the national constitution center to debut his latest book conspiracy theories and other dangerous ideasa collection of 11 essays that touch on a wide range of political, social, and judicial topics including. I argue that their position depends on an equivocation over the meaning of the term conspiracy theory. View the article pdf and any associated supplements and figures for a period of. In his own defense, sunstein, undoubtedly the most prolific legal scholar in the united states, has collected 11 of his most controversial articleson subjects as diverse as conspiracy theories. Dec 27, 2017 nowhere in the final version of the paper did sunstein and vermeule state the obvious fact that a government ban on conspiracy theories would be unconstitutional and possibly dangerous. Abstract many millions of people hold conspiracy theories. Nowhere in the final version of the paper did sunstein and vermeule state the obvious fact that a government ban on conspiracy theories would be unconstitutional and possibly dangerous. How a liberal scholar of conspiracy theories became the. Feb 24, 2009 based on a series of pathbreaking lectures given at yale university in 2012, this powerful, thoughtprovoking work by national bestselling author cass r.
Review of david ray griffins cognitive infiltration. Coauthored with harvard law school professor adrian vermeule and published in the journal of political philosophy in 2008 it can be downloaded as a pdf file here, conspiracy theory surveys the existing scholarship on the origins and characteristics of conspiracy theories and contemplates. He also served in the obama white house and joins us from the studios at. Sep 11, 2001 cass sunstein is a us deep state functionary. Jun 18, 2019 cass sunstein cognitive infiltration pdf andrew marantz on how the scholar cass sunstein became the in cognitive infiltration of the groups that produce conspiracy theories. A classic official narrativetype exposition of conspiracy theory and conspiracy theorists with recommendations on how governments should deal with them. Use the link below to share a fulltext version of this article with your friends and colleagues.