It is so exciting that the very first Philosophy Museum in the world, in Milan, is hosting a new exhibition on fake news, conspiracy theories, and misinformation. I am grateful to Anna Ichino, Paolo Spinicci and Clotilde Calabi for curating this timely exhibition and inviting me to be part of it.
 |
| Poster of the exhibition |
The exhibition will run from 5th to 22nd February 2024, and the space will be reserved to schools in the mornings and open to the public in the afternoon, free for all. It will explore the philosophy of misinformation, inviting visitors to play interactive games, watch animated videos, and reflect on what goes on in the mind of a conspiracy theorist.
There will be several events accompanying the exhibition, including a debate on whether conspiracy theories are pathological with psychiatrist Lingiardi and myself on 12th February.
 |
| Poster of the debate |
I feel privileged to have collaborated with Anna Ichino (University of Milan) and Kathleen Murphy-Hollis (University of Birmingham) in writing the scripts for three animated videos produced by Squideo. The videos invite us to think about how conspiracy theories emerge, take hold, and trump other explanations.
As well as being exhibits in Milan, the videos will be screened at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham on 18th March 2024 and there will also be a panel discussion featuring experts in the philosophy of conspiracy theories. The event is free, generously sponsored by the Royal Institute of Philosophy, and suitable for young people (11+) too. You can register here.
 |
| Three videos on conspiracy theories |
I also assisted Anna Ichino in creating a brand new interactive game, called Fake Plots!, which aims to enhance public understanding of how conspiracy theories are developed and spread, and help people recognise both the characteristics of social media posts spreading misinformation and the strategies used to promote conspiracy theories. More information about the game is available here. English and Spanish versions of the game have been prepared, so it is now possible to play all around the world!
 |
| Interactive game, Fake Plots! |
Here is a brief summary of our contribution to the exhibition.