Abstract

What is a conspiracy theory? This paper discusses some of the main answers that have been given to this question in the recent philosophical debate and defends a pejorative definition of «conspiracy theory». Differently from other pejorative definitions that have been defended, this definition does not appeal to conspiracy theories’ «self-sealing» character, but suggests that what makes conspiracy theories problematic is the fact of conflicting with the theories endorsed by the relevant epistemic authorities as well as of arising from a peculiar «conspiracist mindset».