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[[Propaganda]] ([[Latin]] ''propaganda'' feminine ablative gerundive of ''propago'' I am spreading) is:

[[Propaganda]] ([[Latin]] ''propaganda'' feminine ablative gerundive of ''propago'' I am spreading) is:

== History of the term ==

== History of the term ==

The first recorded use of the term, according to Merriam-Webster, referred to the ''Congregatio de Propaganda Fide'', or "Propaganda" for short, or literally, "The congregation for spreading the faith." This group, part of the Vatican staff, is in essence the missions board of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. The founder of this board was Pope Gregory XV.

The first recorded use of the term, according to Merriam-Webster, was as a shortened name of the ''Congregatio de Propaganda Fide'', literally, "The congregation for spreading the faith." This group, part of the Vatican staff, is in essence the missions board of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. The founder of this board was Pope Gregory XV.

Today, propaganda is anything under the above headings employed to advance any religious or political cause, or to damage an opposing cause. But the word ''propaganda'' today has a limited connotation: whatever is spread must not merely be in aid of one cause and/or opposed to another, but must also be ''false, misleading, and/or out of its proper context.'' As such, it includes [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]], ''unsubstantiated'' rumors, and other sayings that the teller/spreader knows, or ought to know, are lies.

 

Today, propaganda is anything under the above headings employed to advance any religious or political cause, or to damage an opposing cause. But the word ''propaganda'' now has a decidedly negative connotation. Whatever is spread must not merely be in aid of one cause and/or opposed to another, but must also be ''false, misleading, and/or out of its proper context.'' Or, if what is spread is true, then it is spread in a ''manner unbecoming a truthful witness.'' As such, it includes [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]], ''unsubstantiated'' rumors, and other sayings that the teller/spreader knows, or ought to know, are lies. It also includes modes of presentation that, through negligence, recklessness, knowledge, or intent, give offense, especially to the holders of contrary views.

== Types of propaganda ==

== Types of propaganda ==

The specific sayings that constitute propaganda do not properly deserve the dignity of the term ''information.'' Information is intended to inform. Propaganda is intended to deceive. With that in mind, propaganda typically includes:

The specific sayings or modes of presentation that constitute propaganda are legion. The common element in them is an appeal to ''emotion'' rather than to [[logic]]. Truth or fact, logically presented, might stir the emotions--but a presentation ''manifestly intended'' to stir the emotions demeans the information being presented. Of course, if the information is false to begin with, then propagandistic methods might be the only methods that would serve.

# Name calling. This is the crudest and least savory form of [[Logical fallacy#Argumentum ad hominem|argumentum ad hominem]]. It consists of labeling the other cause, or a generic or particular adherent of that cause, with a noun or adjective having a decidedly negative "buzz" or "charge."

 

<blockquote>Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.<br>Though all things foul would wear the look of grace,<br>Yet grace must still look so.</blockquote>

 

Propaganda typically takes any of these forms, or a combination of them:

 

# Name calling. This is the crudest and least savory form of [[Logical fallacy#Argumentum ad hominem|argumentum ad hominem]]. It consists of labeling the other cause, or a generic or particular adherent of that cause, with a noun or adjective having a decidedly negative "buzz" or "charge." Name-calling is also a part of the [[Logical fallacy|Genetic fallacy|genetic fallacy]] of endorsing, or casting doubt upon, a proposition merely by calling attention to its source, when the nature of the source does not bear on the quality of the propositions that come from that source.

# Half-truths. The hallmark of this is that half the things being said are true and the other half false.

# Half-truths. The hallmark of this is that half the things being said are true and the other half false.

# Testimonials. This is a form of [[Logical fallacy#Proof by authority|argumentum ab auctoritate]]. A "celebrity endorsement" is a prime example. So, too, is any speech or essay by one publicly celebrated as an athlete, actor in any form of [[theater]], or other such person, on a subject in which the author has no legitimate expertise.

# Testimonials. This is a form of [[Logical fallacy#Proof by authority|argumentum ab auctoritate]]. A "celebrity endorsement" is a prime example. So, too, is any speech or essay by one publicly celebrated as an athlete, actor in any form of [[theater]], or other such person, on a subject in which the author has no legitimate expertise.

# [[Loaded question|Loaded questions]].

# [[Loaded question|Loaded questions]].

# Distortions of fact.

# Distortions of fact.

# Extreme pronouncements, including over-generalizations.

# Extreme pronouncements, which are a form of [[Logical fallacy#overgeneralization|over-generalizations]].

# Intimidation, concerning either the power of numbers or the power of the particular individual or group engaging in the intimidation.

# Intimidation. This may include [[Logical fallacy|Proof by numbers|arguing from the numbers]] or reminding an opponent of the power of the particular individual or group engaging in the intimidation--or of an individual or group for which one claims to speak.

# Facts told out of context.

# Facts told out of context.

# Sayings that, however factual, fall outside the scope or even off the topic at hand.

# Sayings that, however factual, fall outside the scope or even off the topic at hand. A [[Law|lawyer]] would say that such facts are "incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial"--because they do not serve to advance a [[logic|logical]] argument, are not properly related to the case at hand, and do not matter.

# Outright lies. The most famous propagandist of all, Dr. [[Josef Goebbels]], Minister of Propaganda for [[Adolf Hitler]], famously observed that if one tells a lie loudly enough and often enough, people will believe it rather than believe that anyone could lie so outrageously.

# Outright lies. Dr. [[Josef Goebbels]], Minister of Propaganda for [[Adolf Hitler]], famously observed that if one tells a lie loudly enough and often enough, people will believe it rather than believe that anyone could lie so outrageously.

 

Propaganda has now become the favorite method of [[politics]]. Both politicians and the commentators that support them routinely engage in it. This has contributed, especially in the [[United States]] but also in other democratic republics throughout the world, to a coarsening of civil discourse and, some say, a severe weakening of civility.

== Uses of propaganda in the evolution debate ==

In addition to civility, the idea of truth suffers from the habitual use of propaganda. Current-events organs that willfully publish propagandistic content not only contribute to the problem, but also demean themselves. In one famous example, a [[television]] broadcast network circulated for weeks certain memoranda, the contents of which were damaging to the incumbent President of the [[United States]] ([[George W. Bush]]), though those who obtained those memoranda knew, or ought to have known, that they were forgeries.

By far the most effective tool of propaganda known to civilization is [[theater]] in its various forms. Totalitarian societies have always understood this--which is why they typically forbid any productions of any form of theater that they do not own or otherwise directly control.

In addition, established academic communities often decry [[Creationist|creationists]] for "not having any peer-reviewed publications" to their credit, while at the same time ensuring that no peer-reviewed journal will ever accept an article from their foes for publication. (One editor nearly lost his job with the [[Smithsonian Institution]] for violating this tacit agreement.) This also is propaganda, made worse by holding someone to an arbitrary standard and then forbidding that someone to do anything that might meet that standard.

[[Theater]] has been an instrument of propaganda since before such things as current-events organs existed. Significantly, however, whenever theater has lent itself to propaganda, it has always demeaned itself. Even [[William Shakespeare]] was not immune to this. His play ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' is, as any objective observer must attest, a piece of [[Anti-Semitism|anti-Semitic]] propaganda of a very crude sort. Critics have historically decried it as one of the least becoming of Shakespeare's works.

In the lay community, the usual instrument of propaganda is a current-events organ that willfully publishes propagandistic content as defined above. In one famous example, a [[television]] broadcast network circulated for weeks certain memoranda, the contents of which were damaging to the incumbent President of the [[United States]], though those who obtained those memoranda knew, or ought to have known, that they were forgeries.

Modern theater in its various forms (including stage, [[motion picture]]s, and [[television]]) is now so habituated to propaganda that it has degenerated virtually to self-parody as a result.

== Counter-propaganda ==

== Counter-propaganda ==

The best contrary testimony against propaganda is the truth. This typically means revealing the full, previously undisclosed context and exposing [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]].

The best contrary testimony against propaganda is the truth. This typically means revealing the full, previously undisclosed context and exposing [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]].

Beyond this, it includes discernment of news organs that allow themselves to be utilized for propaganda purposes, and ''also'' includes discernment of propagandistic theater projects and refusal to patronize the same.

Beyond this, it includes discernment of news organs that allow themselves to be utilized for propaganda purposes, discernment of propagandistic theater projects and refusal to patronize the same, and discernment of the content of political commentary, and its judgment, not merely on matters of fact, but also on the ''presentation'' of that fact. As has been said above, presentation even of perfectly relevant fact in a manner intended to manipulate the emotions, demeans the facts thus presented and also demeans the presenter.

== Related References ==

== Related References ==