Skepticism

Rooted in ancient Greek philosophy, modern skepticism refers to the suspension of belief in a claim or theory until it has been systematically tested. These “empirical” or “scientific” skeptics rely on critical thinking and the scientific method to explain human experience and often, in the process, debunk claims of paranormal experience and creationism. Skepticism, by this definition is a series of provisional conclusions, each of which remains in place until a new hypothesis has been formulated, tested, and proven.

Fast Facts:

1. From the Greek skeptomai: to look about, to consider
2. Pyrrho (ca 360- ca 270BC), the first Skeptic philosopher believed that absolute certainty of knowledge is impossible
3. Skeptic magazine has been published quarterly by the Skeptics Society since 1992
4. Dr. Michael Shermer founded Skeptic magazine and is the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society
5. Martin Gardner was a founding member of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) and highly influential in the development of "modern skepticism"
6. James Randi helped to popularize skepticism by publicly debunking many popular pseudoscientists such as Uri Geller and was also a founding member of CSICOP
7. Other well-known skeptics include: Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, Albert Einstein, Harry Houdini, Mark Twain and Richard Dawkins

Quotes

"It is wrong always and everywhere for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence." - William Kingdon Clifford, mathematician, The Ethics of Belief, 1879

“Skepticism” — is that anything more than we used to mean when we said, “Well, what have we here?” - Robert Frost, poet, Quoted in Partisan Review, 1946

"A just thinker will allow full swing to his skepticism. I dip my pen in the blackest ink, because I am not afraid of falling into my inkpot." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist, The Conduct of Life, 1860

"There is no absolute knowledge. And those who claim it, whether they are scientists or dogmatists, open the door to tragedy. All information is imperfect. We have to treat it with humility." - Jacob Bronowski, scientist, The Ascent of Man, 1973

Categories