James Fetzer
American academic, conspiracy theorist, and Holocaust denier / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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James Henry Fetzer (born December 6, 1940) is an American professor emeritus of the philosophy of science at the University of Minnesota Duluth, known for promoting conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial. Fetzer has worked on assessing and clarifying the forms and foundations of scientific explanation, probability in science, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of cognitive science, especially artificial intelligence and computer science.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
James Fetzer | |
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![]() Fetzer in 2004 | |
Born | James Henry Fetzer (1940-12-06) December 6, 1940 (age 83) Pasadena, California, U.S. |
Years active | 1970–present |
Fetzer began to promote John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories in the early 1990s. He later promoted 9/11 conspiracy theories, Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories regarding the 2002 death of Senator Paul Wellstone, and Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting conspiracy theories.[7] He cofounded Scholars for 9/11 Truth in 2005,[8] and claims that elements in the United States government, United States intelligence community, and Israeli Mossad were responsible for the September 11 attacks. Fetzer asserts that no commercial planes or hijackers were involved at any of the attack locations, that Flight 93 did not exist, and that guided missiles and/or explosives were instead used to destroy the buildings and create the appearance of a plane crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Fetzer's allegations and speculations have drawn strong criticism as a source of disinformation and false conspiracy theories.[8][9][10][11][12] In October 2019, a Wisconsin court ordered Fetzer to pay the father of a Sandy Hook victim $450,000 in a defamation case.[13][14][15][16]
Fetzer's views have been featured by Iran's PressTV, Fars, and Tasnim news agencies and the pro-Russian website Veterans Today,[citation needed] which have been described as sources of state propaganda.[17] In an interview Fetzer supported Iranian and Russian media as "Press TV, along with RT and Sputnik News, have become the gold standard for reporting on international events and developments." He stated his opposition to the US and Israel as they "have become the greatest threats to freedom and democracy ever known, not only in the Middle East but throughout the world." He held up Iran as a "beacon of light in comparison to the United States."[18] In another interview, Fetzer stated "Russia and Iran are now providing leadership for the world community. May they prosper and endure!"[19]