A conspiracy is a secret plan or agreement between two or more individuals or groups to achieve a specific goal, usually by illegal, deceptive, or unethical means. Understanding conspiracies involves recognizing the balance between legitimate secrecy for security reasons and harmful or illegal cooperation that may undermine trust, legality, and ethical standards.

• Keeley, B. L. (1999). Of conspiracy theories. The Journal of Philosophy, 96(3), 109–126.