A prominent theologian turned 9/11 conspiracy theorist, David Ray Griffin challenged modern academic materialism.
In short: David Ray Griffin was a respected philosopher of religion who co-founded the Center for Process Studies. Yet, he is perhaps best known for his controversial shift toward 9/11 conspiracy theories. His work spanned deep metaphysical inquiries into consciousness and the mind-body problem, challenging the mechanistic worldview of modern science.
Born in 1939, David Ray Griffin emerged as a leading figure in process theology, a movement rooted in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne. Alongside John B. Cobb, Jr., he established the Center for Process Studies in 1973. His academic career was defined by an attempt to reconcile religion with science by rejecting the mechanistic, materialistic worldview that has dominated academia since the seventeenth century. Griffin argued that this worldview was intellectually inadequate, failing to account for human experience, values, and even paranormal phenomena.
In his 1998 work, Unsnarling the World-Knot, Griffin addressed the mind-body problem by proposing panexperientialism. He argued that all actual entities possess some degree of experience, suggesting that consciousness emerges from a rudimentary sentience pervading nature. Central to his philosophy was the concept of hard-core common sense—beliefs that are universally presupposed in practice, such as causality and freedom, even when they are denied in theory. For Griffin, these beliefs served as a compass for philosophical inquiry, ensuring that thought remained grounded in the realities of human existence.
Following the September 11 attacks, Griffin underwent a dramatic shift, focusing his energy on political critique and American imperialism. He authored several books questioning the official account of 9/11, alleging government complicity and advocating for the controlled demolition theory. While his theological peers and critics like David Aaronovitch and Chip Berlet dismissed his claims as spurious or refuted, Griffin maintained that his skepticism was a moral imperative. He viewed his activism as a religious duty to protect the planet, even as his reputation in mainstream academia became deeply polarized until his death in 2022.
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