The Psychological Roots of Anti-Vaccination Attitudes: A 24-Nation Investigation, page-9

Because conspiracy theories claim to be based in fact – unlike myths or fables – the concept encourages us to treat them as rational and therefore refutable.

At least this was the presumption guiding the philosopher Karl Popper when he delivered two lectures in 1948 that are regarded as the first effort to examine conspiracy theories from a philosophical standpoint.

Although Popper was aware that conspiracy theories are found throughout history, his analysis was akin to a thought experiment.

The experiment revolved around the question of whether it was possible to imagine events and trends in the world as the result of a conspiracy.

Is this a tenable view of how society works?