@ PresentAndCorrect 10:47
This person presents a strong case that conspiracy deniers have transferred an infantile trust and reliance in parents, which evolution has hard-wired into us, to governments and other powerful modern institutions.
“Infantile”? Oh, the howling hypocrisy!!
Conspiracy deniers place their trust “in the biggest, loudest, most present and undeniable force around, because instinct decrees that survival depends on it. And, in this great ‘world nursery’, the most omnipresent force is the network of institutions which consistently project an unearned image of power, calm, expertise, concern and stability.”
Foyle’s argument amounts to nothing more than: “Look, see how little kids look up to their parents and do whatever they’re told … that’s you, that is!” His pathetic (truly “infantile”) argument from analogy really is no stronger than that. It’s unlikely to rank as a great work in philosophy of science.
And of course, it’s trying to deceive by distraction. Never mind that many of these alleged “conspiracy deniers” (which include the vast majority of professional medics and scientists) are knowledgeable enough about science to scrutinise the claims made in official publications. Never mind that they’re sufficiently qualified in those disciplines to verify or disconfirm by observation and experiment. No, according to PresentAndCorrect they’re apparently just little kiddies repeating whatever teacher told them to say … despite all their knowledge, qualifications and expertise (which rather ruin the impact of the analogy).
If that’s the highest level of argument that covid critics can proffer, then I’d suggest they’re best ignored. Acknowledging them only gives them encouragement.