What is Scepticism?

[Notung]

I was watching a video by DJ and he gave this quote by Bertrand Russell as a working definition of scepticism:

"I wish to propose for the reader's favourable consideration a doctrine which may, I fear, appear wildly paradoxical and subversive. The doctrine in question is this: that it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true."

What do you think? I'd say that's what all (respectable) philosophers do, so much so that when a philosopher says 'scepticism' they mean something like "knowledge is impossible", or "we can have no knowledge of the external world" etc.

[GrafVonBek]

I can remember that quote being bandied about during my misspent "youth" on the Fortean Times fora. I think that in isolation, yes it can be used as a workable definition, but if I remember correctly the rest of his essay is just vague enough to allow the interpretation that "knowledge is impossible" to be used as a justification for all manner of baloney. (My disclaimer here is that I'm trying to remember something I read years ago when sitting on the other side of the sceptical fence - I might be completely wrong!). It does make me think though, at what point does "legitimate" philosophy start to become indistinguishable from the "explanations" given by the paranormalists out there?

There you go. First post and I've outed myself as a former "believer", gotten involved in a subject WAY outside my personal knowledge and used far to many inverted commas for my own good. Be gentle with me...

[welch]

I always viewed as a process, not a noun.

Saying "I'm a skeptic" is a bit like saying "I'm a driver's license exam". I mean, okay? But that implies something that no one can really be. I look at it as how one tells what is correct and what is not. Not truth. Truth is subjective from what I've seen in my life, but reality is not.

[GrafVonBek]

I always viewed as a process, not a noun.

Saying "I'm a skeptic" is a bit like saying "I'm a driver's license exam". I mean, okay? But that implies something that no one can really be. I look at it as how one tells what is correct and what is not. Not truth. Truth is subjective from what I've seen in my life, but reality is not.

But, by using it as a noun aren't you simply identifying yourself as an adherent of that particular process of thought? I don't use the label myself if asked, as it then involves a lengthy explanation of the definition of the word (I think Rationalist is a better descriptor anyway - much easier to define).

[franc]

Clifford's credo -

“It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.”

[Notung]

Clifford's credo

Yes! I love that paper.

[Za-zen]

Scepticism= " asking people where the bull is before believing in it's shit"

[EveryMan]

This is what I use:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_skepticism

Help separate one from the denier/troofer "skeptics".

[justinvacula]

I am very careful to use the phrase 'argument, reason, and evidence' when talking about skepticism. 'A willingness to change my mind on any issue given sufficient reason' is also good. Hopefully others can have this attitude. Perhaps voicing these things can help dispel myths people have about skeptics such as 'you only believe it if you can see it' and 'you just don't want to believe.'

[0verlord]

I'm a fan of "PEARL." Physical evidence and reasoned logic. Skepticism is implied.

[Badger3k]

I am very careful to use the phrase 'argument, reason, and evidence' when talking about skepticism. 'A willingness to change my mind on any issue given sufficient reason' is also good. Hopefully others can have this attitude. Perhaps voicing these things can help dispel myths people have about skeptics such as 'you only believe it if you can see it' and 'you just don't want to believe.'

Definitely the willingness to change your mind - as Tim Minchin (among others) have said - keep your mind open but not so far your brains fall out. But you also need to be able to look at all your own beliefs (as I tell my kids, especially your own beliefs) and seek things that challenge them. The phrase (if I remember it correctly, I'm too tired to go looking and it sounds good) - the unexamined life isn't worth living can be restated as "the unexamined belief isn't worth having". Despite the Texas GOPs efforts to get rid of critical thinking (have you seen their platform?), critical thinking is the most important thing you can teach someone, but they have to be willing to look at everything. I try to do it all the time, and while I'm not perfect, I don't think I do bad. I've had to change my mind on many things, and I've been stopped mid-argument when my opponent says something that makes me question what I am saying. I may or may not agree there, but I usually do look into it, and decide afterwards. Of course, that also implies that I am competent to judge the matters, but since it's for me, and I try to keep high standards (I hope), it's worked. It can be a bit of a downer for some when they want support for their brand of woo - I refer to myself as an "arch-skeptic" but people know they can ask me about anything. The worst I can tell them is that I have no idea. That's also important - the ability to say "I don't know" rather than make something up.

[John Greg]

keep your mind open but not so far your brains fall out.

Who originated that phrase? Was it Carl Sagan?

[jmtz]

I like this definition I saved at some point...from Wiki IIRC...

"Skepticism is an approach to accepting, rejecting, or suspending judgment on new information that requires the new information to be well supported by evidence."

Also...I'm loving "PEARL"

[CommanderTuvok]

Reminds me of Louis Armstrong when some asked him "what is jazz"?

He said, "If you gotta ask, you'll never know".

Saying that, there are some people who confuse skeptics with 9/11 troofers and other dumb fuckers. I got no time for them numpties.

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

There being alternative dictionary defs, thats a bit hard to answer. I like to think of it as applying the scientific method and regarding any beliefs as provisional. It irritates me that people judge the 'soft sciences' as inferior, or even non-scientific. The scientific method involves taking the best evidence available whatever it's nature. The method can be applied to any truth claim.