Allow me to indulge a bit.

What if the government (or nasa) decided that the best way to get people interested in space exploration was to magnify and perpetuate all the lunar hoax theories. Thus, you get everyone talking about, well, space exploration, and theoretically, the seeds are sown for a new generation of astronomers and physicists.

Far fetched. I suppose.

First thought that comes to mind: why would you suddenly want to believe in something that's not true? :-?

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What do you mean by that? What are you suggesting isn't true?

Too roundabout. Why inspire interest in the space program that comes attached to an immovable distrust of the establishment. Who wants to contribute to something that's out to get them?

Why not simply inspire interesting the space program by making it accessible and interesting? Bring back the era of Cool.

I'd say. :wink:

"Magnifying and perpetuating" the lunar hoax theories could more readily spawn a new generation of tinfoil-clad paranoid conspiracy theorists who so arbitrarily distrust governmental agencies... that they'd dedicate their lives/careers to being employed by one?

Doh!

freddo beat me to the punch... ops:

The space program got a big "kick" when the Soviets launched Sputnik. People were shocked and angry that we had "fallen behind." That was almost 47 years ago. After Apollo, the space program went to the back burner. It'll take a space spectacular by, say, China or India (like a manned expediction to Mars or a permanent base on the moon) to revive interest in the US space program.

Look at it this way. People, at first, begin to distrust and question until nasa, and many other enthusiasts, alleviate those fears and distrusts by pointing out the problems with the hoax theories. In the process, everyone becomes better educated and enriched.

No. Because the only way to push the blatantly false proposition that the moonlandings are faked is to debase the value of evidence and critical thinking. By going through this process, you're creating a faction of people who cannot be swayed by arguments.

These people, by definition, are uneducatable.

In addition, the steps you've described have already occurred. The apollohoax has been debunked many, many times now. Why don't we have renewed public interest in the space program?

Another consideration: NASA has not made it a top priority to debunk the lunar hoax claims. AFAIK, there's been very little addressed on the subject. Has NASA ever released more than one or two statements on the issue?

True. The only real response was to be a book by Jim Oberg under NASA sponsorship. NASA withdrew the funding to even this, due to fears of lending credence to the hoax.

Thanks! That jogged my memory.

Dang, you mean the only ever paid NASA debunker didn't get paid in the end? Dangnabit Gubermint.

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Howling from the Shadows

It must be fun to lead a life completely unburdened by reality. --- JayUtah

You can't reason an irrational person out of an irrational belief. --- Noclevername

Apollo: The History and the Hoax
Enter the World of Athran

I'm not sure if JimO got any preliminary funding, but yeah...

Actually, the whole lunar hoax is a conspiracy by the BA to get more hits on his website. Just kidding BA. ops:

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One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

We cannot extract truth out of false statements. The only truth is that a false statement continues to be false. Hence, a conspiracy theory cannot drive a positive environment. A Lunar Conspiracist hides behing a handful "theories" for which he/she does not even try to seek truth. They will not change their opinions no matter what. They keep revisiting the same points over and over again.

How often NASA has tried to debunk a conspiracist's arguments? They don't have to. It's a waste of their time.

The moon hoax theory only proves one theory... The government is indeed distributing crack to Americans.

Best way to get the public behind space exploration would be to "find" intellegent aliens. That would actually be easier to fake (IMHO) than a moon landing.

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