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Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy
Erschienen in: Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 3/2020

16.04.2020 | Review Article

Medical conspiracy theories: cognitive science and implications for ethics

verfasst von: Gabriel Andrade

Erschienen in: Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy | Ausgabe 3/2020

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Abstract

Although recent trends in politics and media make it appear that conspiracy theories are on the rise, in fact they have always been present, probably because they are sustained by natural dispositions of the human brain. This is also the case with medical conspiracy theories. This article reviews some of the most notorious health-related conspiracy theories. It then approaches the reasons why people believe these theories, using concepts from cognitive science. On the basis of that knowledge, the article makes normative proposals for public health officials and health workers as a whole, to deal with conspiracy theories, in order to preserve some of the fundamental principles of medical ethics.
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Metadaten
Titel
Medical conspiracy theories: cognitive science and implications for ethics
verfasst von
Gabriel Andrade
Publikationsdatum
16.04.2020
Verlag
Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in
Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy / Ausgabe 3/2020
Print ISSN: 1386-7423
Elektronische ISSN: 1572-8633
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-020-09951-6

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