Scientific skepticism

From WikiSynergy

Skepticism (also “Scepticism”) has several definitions. In common usage, “Skepticism” often means disbelief or suspicion of unproven claims, or a tendency to automatically disbelieve such claims.^[1] However, the aspect of skepticism relevant to frontier subjects is Scientific Skepticism, a philosophy in which unproven^[2] claims are challenged before being accepted or rejected. A scientific skeptic remains agnostic and applies the scientific method to factual claims before conditionally accepting or rejecting them.^[3]

“Skepticism” also refers to Philosophical Skepticism, which is the position that absolute certainty of any claim is irrational, or to Activist Skepticism, which is the active practice of questioning and challenging or debunking popular claims. Many people have a skeptical approach to unproven claims, but not all skeptics are activists.

These alternative definitions of skepticism sometimes lead to confusion and accusations. For example, someone calling themselves a skeptic might be accused of atheism, because philosophical skepticism necessitates agnosticism, and agnosticism is often equated with atheism.

The opposite of skepticism is generally considered to be “belief”, "faith", or “credulity”, among others. This is because skepticism, properly applied, is simply the application of the scientific method to everyday life, and skeptics often believe that there is no other way of understanding reality. Other ways of knowing, such as revelation, have often been proven wrong and skeptics consider them unreliable and those who advocate for them to be credulous and ignorant of their historically documented failings.

Skepticism and science

Skepticism is an integral part of the scientific process. New hypotheses must eventually be tested by experiment. Also, a properly designed scientific hypothesis or theory must be possible to disprove by experiment.^[4] Even if experimental results have supported an hypothesis, the experiment must repeated by other experimenters. Only then can be accepted as a theory and generally integrated into the scientific paradigm. The process of experimentation and refinement of the theory continues even after the theory is accepted, to allow for the possibility that an anomaly may appear when more precise measurements are taken.

Criticism of skepticism

Skepticism in the sense of habitual disbelief is probably what non-skeptics have in mind when attacking the skeptical outlook as “closed-minded”. While habitual disbelief (or even habitual doubt) might earn this description, it does not apply to scientific skepticism.

The history of science provides answers enough to claims that skepticism is “closed-minded”. Scientific progress routinely refines or even overturns its own prior conclusions. Scientific methodology employs rigorous safeguards against prejudice and preconceptions. No closed-minded pursuit could possibly have led to our current understanding of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics which so completely disagree with the prior theories they supplant.

Skepticism has also earned a reputation for engendering a negative, or jaded attitude, possibly because activist skeptics are the first to attack extraordinarily hopeful claims.

Activist skepticism

Activist skeptics (also “Debunkers”) are people and organizations that actively investigate, challenge and/or disprove extraordinary claims.

In some cases activist skepticism proceeds by applying scientific rigor to claims. However, many skeptical organizations such as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (formerly CSICOP) take a more passive approach, inviting claimants themselves to prove their own claims in a scientific setting. Activist skeptical groups sometimes offer cash prizes for proof of extraordinary claims. Such prizes are often criticized by proponents as impossible to claim.

Although the popular media is often criticized for its non-skeptical attitude, some investigative journalism has entered the realm of activist skepticism. ABC’s 20/20 reporter John Stossel is particularly noted for this approach to his subjects, and Leon Jaroff, journalist and contributor to TIME magazine, also has such an approach. Popular serial programs such as Penn & Teller’s Bullshit! and Mythbusters are devoted to skepticism in a more fun and fast-paced style.

Philosophical skepticism

Philosophical skepticism is the philosophical position that nothing can be known for certain; since facts, observations, and even the very rules of logic and rationality rest upon assumptions at some point. This is quite different from skepticism in the usual usage, although it represents the original meaning of the term “Skepticism”.

Philosophical skeptics are known for proposing such unfalsifiable possibilities as “This may all be a dream”, “Perhaps I’m just a brain in a vat”, or “Perhaps the entire universe was created five minutes ago.”

One response to philosophical skepticism is that we have more cause to believe certain facts than we have to believe any philosophical framework suggesting an alternative. Philosopher George Moore responded to philosophical skepticism by citing concrete examples such as “Here is a hand,” and such observations which are based on common experience became known as “Moorean facts”. While it does involve certain assumptions to believe “Here is a hand”, believing the contrary requires that one discard all experience and reason. Thus undertakings such as everyday life and the process of science can ignore philosophical skepticism.

Notes

• Regarding different meanings of skepticism

References

1. ↑ Princeton Wordnet
2. ↑ By "proof" we mean scientific proof, which is the same as "well supported by evidence" but 'not the same as "absolutely known to be true."
3. ↑ "Marcello Truzzi, On Pseudo-Skepticism" Zetetic Scholar (1987) No. 12/13, 3-4.
4. ↑ It is debated within science if any theory can be scientific if one cannot reasonably be expect to be able to perform an experiment to test it, but in general if an idea is impossible to test or disprove it does not qualify as scientific.

External links

• "Skepticism" at Wikipedia