J – “Any theoritical model which attempts to account for all the available data and which requires some element of criminal activity, undertaken in concert with others is by definition, conspiracy theory.
– In other words, history itself is conspiracy theory. Ask Ceasar.”
I disagree. “Theory” means a framework for thought. What you are describing would be more accurately termed “a conspiracy hypothesis”. Every hypothesis has to be supported by independent evidence; it is of course invalid and circular to support an hypothesis by reference to the hypothesis itself, because you can prove absolutely anything that way, no matter how true or false.
Of course people conspire; there are countless examples throughout history. Craig has exposed several such conspiracies. But to use, as first and every resort, an assumption of a conspiracy with virtually limitless power to control evidence, is to use conspiracy as your primary framework of thought, and is rightly dismissed as “conspiracy theory”.
Here is a podcast that describes it very clearly and simply: