Debunking 9/11 Myths

Debunking 9/11 Myths
Author: David Dunbar
Publisher: Union Square + ORM
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2011-08-02
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1588168557

“9/11 conspiracy theorists beware: Popular Mechanics has popped your paranoid bubble world, using pointed facts and razor-sharp analysis.” —Austin Bay, national security columnist (Creators Syndicate) and coauthor of From Shield to Storm Decades after the World Trade Center disaster, rampant speculation abounds on what actually happened. Wild talk flourishes on the Internet, TV, and radio. Was the Pentagon really struck by a missile? Was the untimely death of Barry Jennings, who witnessed the collapse of Tower 7 and thought he heard “explosions,” actually an assassination? Not everyone is convinced the truth is out there. Once again, in this updated edition of the critically acclaimed Debunking 9/11 Myths, Popular Mechanics counters the conspiracy theorists with a dose of hard, cold facts. The magazine consulted more than 300 experts in fields like air traffic control, aviation, civil engineering, firefighting, and metallurgy, and then rigorously, meticulously, and scientifically analyzed the twenty-five most persistent 9/11 conspiracy theories. Each one was conclusively refuted with facts, not politics and rumors, including five new myths involving the collapse of 7 World Trade Center and four longstanding conjectures now considered in the context of new research. “A reliable and rational answer to the many fanciful conspiracy theories about 9/11 . . . What happened on 9/11 has been well established by the 9/11 Commission. What did not happen has now been clearly explained by Popular Mechanics.” —Richard A. Clarke, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Against All Enemies “Do you have a friend who emails you the most recent documentary ‘proving’ that a missile impacted the Pentagon or that timed explosions brought down WTC-7? Buy him a copy of this book. He’ll thank you later.” —The Weekly Standard

Debunking Conspiracy Theories

Debunking Conspiracy Theories
Author: Anna Maria Johnson
Publisher: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2018-12-15
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1502640481

Thanks to websites and social media platforms, conspiracy theories are able to reach a wider audience today than ever before. Such theories both fascinate and alarm critical thinkers because they challenge media consumers of all ages to hone their media literacy skills. This volume introduces the basic critical thinking concepts needed in order to evaluate the credibility of conspiracy theories, such as those surrounding the September 11 terrorist attacks and allegations of "crisis actors" after mass shootings, as well as the skills needed to debunk such theories. Case studies and examples walk the reader step-by-step through the methods readers can use to process and evaluate information related to conspiracy theories, helping to separate fact from fiction.

Voodoo Histories

Voodoo Histories
Author: David Aaronovitch
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2010-02-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 110118521X

"Meticulous in its research, forensic in its reasoning, robust in its argument, and often hilarious in its debunking... a highly entertaining rumble with the century's major conspiracy theorists and their theories." --John Lahr, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of Tennessee Williams From an award-winning journalist, a history so funny, so true, so scary, it's bound to be called a conspiracy. Our age is obsessed by the idea of conspiracy. We see it everywhere- from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, from the assassination of Kennedy to the death of Diana. In this age of terrorism we live in, the role of conspiracy is a serious one, one that can fuel radical or fringe elements to violence. For David Aaronovitch, there came a time when he started to see a pattern among these inflammatory theories. these theories used similarly murky methods with which to insinu­ate their claims: they linked themselves to the supposed conspiracies of the past (it happened then so it can happen now); they carefully manipulated their evidence to hide its holes; they relied on the authority of dubious aca­demic sources. Most important, they elevated their believers to membership of an elite- a group of people able to see beyond lies to a higher reality. But why believe something that entails stretching the bounds of probabil­ity so far? In this entertaining and enlightening book, he examines why people believe conspiracy theories, and makes an argument for a true skepticism: one based on a thorough knowledge of history and a strong dose of common sense.

The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
Author: Jan-Willem Prooijen
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2018-04-09
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1315525399

Who believes in conspiracy theories, and why are some people more susceptible to them than others? What are the consequences of such beliefs? Has a conspiracy theory ever turned out to be true? The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories debunks the myth that conspiracy theories are a modern phenomenon, exploring their broad social contexts, from politics to the workplace. The book explains why some people are more susceptible to these beliefs than others and how they are produced by recognizable and predictable psychological processes. Featuring examples such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and climate change, The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories shows us that while such beliefs are not always irrational and are not a pathological trait, they can be harmful to individuals and society.

Debunked!

Debunked!
Author: Richard Roeper
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2008-06
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1556529708

A breezy but fact-filled dissection of more than two dozen of the most popular urban legends and conspiracy theories of the 21st century.

Moon Hoax: Debunked!

Moon Hoax: Debunked!
Author: Paolo Attivissimo
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2013-10-13
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 1291591575

A no-nonsense, fact-filled debunking of all the main "Moon hoax" conspiracy theories, collected in a single book. If you're an open-minded doubter, you'll find technically accurate but plain-English answers to your questions; if you're a space enthusiast or professional, you'll find a handy reference for dealing with the most obstinate hoax believers and for clarifying popular objections and misconceptions about the Moon landings. "Moon Hoax: Debunked!" is also an opportunity to rediscover and celebrate one of mankind's greatest voyages, which doesn't need conspiracy theories to be a fascinating adventure. For example, did you know how close to failure each flight actually came? Did you know that pictures of Playmates were smuggled to the Moon to prank the astronauts? Or that there was a secret Soviet plan to land a Russian on the Moon before the US? Paolo Attivissimo is a British-Italian science journalist, lifelong space enthusiast and contributor to NASA's Apollo Lunar Surface Journal.

Thinking Critically About the Kennedy Assassination

Thinking Critically About the Kennedy Assassination
Author: Michel Jacques Gagné
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 514
Release: 2022-03-27
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1000544125

Thinking Critically About the Kennedy Assassination uses the tools of critical thinking, historical research, and philosophical inquiry to debunk the many myths and conspiracy theories surrounding JFK’s shocking and untimely death. As we approach the 60th anniversary of the violent public assassination of President John F. Kennedy, over half of all Americans surveyed continue to believe that he was killed by a conspiracy involving multiple assassins. Through its reasoned and detailed analysis of the content and evolution of JFK conspiracy narratives, this book also serves as a comprehensive case study of paranoid reasoning and modern mythmaking. The book’s opening chapters lay out the "official" academic consensus concerning the Kennedy assassination (better known as the "Lone Gunman Theory") and discuss the origins of popular interpretations of Kennedy’s life and death, such as the nostalgic myth of "Camelot," the unsympathetic "Irish Mafia" narrative, and the many conspiracy theories critical of both. Subsequent sections scrutinize the alleged motives of leading conspiracy suspects, the ballistic, forensic, and medical evidence related to JFK’s murder, and the most popular "proofs" of an enduring government cover- up. The book concludes that no clear evidence exists to suggest that JFK was the victim of a conspiracy and ends with a discussion of the causes and consequences of paranoid thinking in contemporary public discourse. This volume will appeal to students of history, politics, psychology, and cultural and media studies, and to a broader audience interested in American history, critical thinking, and conspiracy thinking.

I Was a Teenage JFK Conspiracy Freak

I Was a Teenage JFK Conspiracy Freak
Author: Fred Litwin
Publisher: Northernblues Books
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2018-09-10
Genre:
ISBN: 9780994863027

Fred Litwin recounts how he became a JFK conspiracy freak at eighteen, and then slowly moved to believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin. I Was a Teenage JFK Conspiracy Freak demonstrates how the left and right have used the JFK assassination to drive home myths about power in America. There is also the persecution of a gay man prosecuted for conspiring to kill Kennedy, the ugly story of Oliver Stone's homophobic film JFK, an exposé of conspiracy nonsense on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a look at how the Soviets tried to influence American public opinion that CIA was behind the murder, and the incredible secret why some JFK assassination documents must remain locked up. And a whole lot more. PRAISE FOR I WAS A TEENAGE JFK CONSPIRACY FREAK "As a young man growing up in the heyday of Kennedy assassination theorizing, Fred Litwin believed a conspiracy killed JFK. And then he grew, and he studied and he researched. The result is this volume, a thorough, cogent and meticulously argued case for a lone assassin. A seasoned conspiracy skeptic will learn new things here, and a conspiracy believer open to looking at the other side could do no better than this volume." - John McAdams, Associate Professor of Political Science at Marquette University and author of JFK Assassination Logic: How to Think about Claims of Conspiracy "This is a great book for conspiracy buffs-and, more important, for those who debunk such theories. Fred Litwin does a terrific job in blowing up the myriad JFK assassination scenarios, not least in completely demolishing The Fifth Estate's decades-long efforts to "uncover" the truth. The CBC's lead investigative show is revealed here to be more than slightly unhinged." -J.L. Granatstein, Author of Who Killed Canadian History? "In Fred Litwin's marvelous book, he charts how he went from an early skeptic to someone dedicated to dissecting their arguments and carefully tearing them apart. He puts the final nail in the coffin of all the conspiracy theorists, who develop new ones as old theories are proven wrong. Everyone still concerned with JFK's death and thinks it's a mystery must read this book. They will be glad they did." -Ronald Radosh, Professor Emeritus of History at CUNY, opinion columnist for The Daily Beast and co-author of A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel "Mr. Litwin's book is the best in many, many years in dealing with the truth about this horrendous piece of history...and exposing the fakirs, cons and opportunists who often call themselves 'historians.' A fine presentation!" -Hugh Aynesworth, Author of November 22, 1963: Witness to History and JFK: Breaking the News

Debunking 9/11 Debunking

Debunking 9/11 Debunking
Author: David Ray Griffin
Publisher: Interlink Books
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2007
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781566566865

Attempts to refute the offical explanation of the September 11th terrorist attack, critiquing the evidence that has been presented in the mainstream media and arguing for a conspiracy theory that the American government was behind the attack.