We use a recent controversial murder case as a way to reconsider recent world events--such as war in Europe and the return of Trump--from the perspective of the epistemological crisis and the decline of trust in Truth, Facts, and Reality.

CHAPTERS:

0:00:20 – Intro & Disclaimers

0:11:45 – The Great Witch Hunt: overview

0:28:25 – The Great Witch Hunt: midwives & caregivers

0:45:10 – The Lucy Letby Case: narrative

1:15:55 – The Lucy Letby Case: analysis

1:44:10 – The Lucy Letby Case: reactions & aftermath

1:51:25 – Defensiveness & the epistemic house of cards

2:08:00 – The partisanization of knowledge

2:20:40 – The trials of the expert class

2:38:40 – Lessons of World War I

2:46:30 – The threat to democracy is the presidency

2:55:50 – The “economy”

2:59:10 – Conclusions: Notre Dame restored

Image: 18th-century farmhouse on eroding cliff's edge, Trimingham, Norfolk, England, April 2024.

Audio version of my 2022 article, "In the American Tempest: Democracy, Conspiracy, and Machine" -- https://soundcloud.com/historiansplaining/article-in-the-american-tempest-democracy-conspiracy-machine

Jeffrey Friedman's 2023 article, "Post-Truth and the Epistemological Crisis" -- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08913811.2023.2221502

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