Where oh Where Have People Gotten Their Freakish Ideas about Conspiracies?

[Nous]

It isn't contrary; the term "conspiracy theory" does refer to purported conspiracies, just not all conspiracies.

Which conspiracies does the term "conspiracy theory" refer to?

That "fact" that the idea of "conspiracy theory" refers to only some conspiracies is obviously one aspect of the term "conspiracy theory" that is contrary to the the concept in criminal law. Note the first sentence in the OP. In criminal law, "conspiracy" refers to all such agreements as defined.

[You seem like a smart guy. I'm sure you can figure out that when people talk about conspiracy theories in relation to, say, 9/11, they're referring to the "9/11 was an inside job" stuff [/quote]The claim that "conspiracy theories in relation to, say, 9/11, [are] referring to the "9/11 was an inside job" stuff," is an idiotic claim, and that's one of the things I explain in the OP. It leaves the term "conspiracy theory" without a coherent definition. It implies that "conspiracy theories are theories that I don't agree with."

You might not like the implications that this has for your pet hypotheses (if you actually have one you'll admit to and aren't just JAQing off), but I have confidence that you can figure out the intended meaning.

As you can see in the OP, I didn't have any difficulty figuring out the idiocy that some people are referring when they use the term "conspiracy theory".