Skepticism is the attitude of doubting knowledge

• It is a belief in the merits of doubt. It recognises that all knowledge is ultimately uncertain and doubt should therefore be our default position.

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Qualities of healthy skepticism

• A method of enquiry, not a fixed position
• More about active questioning and investigation than wallowing in passive doubt
• Focuses its attention on thoughtful enquiry and examination
• Lets go of the tendency to become trapped in belief
• Believes strongly in freedom of thought
• Questions blind belief in authority
• Looks for practical solutions
• Constantly asks questions, questioning its motives, questioning all assumptions and conventions including even the most sacred of cows
• Initially suspends all judgement and conviction
• Relinquishes prejudice
• Open to new possibilities
• Adopts a beginner’s mind that readily lets go of old ideas
• Investigates its reasoning processes
• Observes closely
• Relies on evidence and data to reach its conclusions, focusing always on fact over opinion
• Recognises that the greatest oracle of truth is personal experience
• Regards no idea or theory as final
• Humble about how little it knows
• Brings a healthy dose of common sense while also acknowledging it cannot always rely on surface appearances
• Recognises that we humans are fallible, all too ready to believe what we want to be true, or believe what is repeated often enough, averse to new and better ideas and therefore, prone to a belief in falsehood
• Respects the right of others to have their own opinions and beliefs without needing to belittle or condemn and without needing to claim a monopoly on the truth for this causes nothing but division and polarisation
• Recognises that all certainty is ultimately an illusion while also acknowledging some things are more certain than others

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The benefits of healthy skepticism

• The first step towards truth
• Protects us against believing in irrational nonsense and against the tyranny of groundless superstition
• Helps free minds from dogma and ideology

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There are several fields in which healthy skepticism is essential

• Science
• Philosophy
• Medicine
• Journalism
• A healthy democracy
• The determination and revision of history
• Predicting the future
• Making effective decisions, especially investment decisions
• Education (which should foster a healthy skepticism)

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Healthy skepticism is particularly essential in science

• Effective science makes a virtue of skepticism. In fact, skepticism is at the very heart of the scientific spirit and method.
• Science grounded in healthy skepticism puts all hypotheses to the test, no matter how revered they may be. It strives to be free of bias and wishful thinking. It evolves around logical reasoning. It admits when it is mistaken and readily discards what does not work. It admits how little it knows. It makes room for creativity, imagination and intuition.
• Though it aims for healthy skepticism, science does not always live up to this. Science can become trapped in its paradigms to the extent that daring to question these paradigms is regarded as heresy. Elderly scientists protest at anything new, thus holding back progress and publication of new theories and discoveries may even be quashed. Unhealthy competition for recognition in science also does harm to the search for truth as does excessive skepticism, bordering on closed-mindedness.

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Skepticism and religious faith

• Those who believe in the healthy skepticism of science often take a dig at religion’s adherence to faith. In reply, some would argue that scientific skepticism can be said to adhere to its own form of faith.
• The truth is that a healthy skepticism is essential even in matters of faith. Healthy skepticism is the antidote to blind faith; blind faith that in excess can lead to fanaticism.
• Some argue that to deny all belief and all faith is a path to confusion, hesitancy and even despair. They argue that we need to find a healthy balance between skepticism and belief.
• The explorations and deliberations inspired by healthy scepticism can lead to a rational form of faith; a faith that can trust soundly in its conclusions, that does not claim a monopoly on truth; a faith that can become a powerful force for good.
• Rational faith is the opposite of forced religion which only breeds greater skepticism.
• To establish a sound and rational faith, some would argue, is far harder than surrendering forever to doubt.
• Rational faith, unlike skepticism, has become an act of rebellion in today’s skeptical world.

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The pitfalls of unhealthy skepticism

• Skepticism does not always deliver a way out of illusion. Excessive or lazy skepticism can actually hinder the search for truth.
• Excessive skepticism can become a form of rigid closed mindedness that keeps us trapped in ignorance.
• Excessive skepticism, if it denies us the right to believe anything, causes us to lose out on the power that positive beliefs can bestow and without anything to believe in, chronic skepticism can become a kind of atrophy or barrenness of the soul.
• Excessive skepticism forever stands on the shore, unable to leap in thereby lacking in any heroic devotion to a cause and thus hindering our ability to live from the heart
• Skepticism about what is possible can be a self-fulfilling prophesy.
• While some argue skepticism is a form of intellectual rigor, others argue it can, at its worst, be a form of intellectual laziness and indifference, a lazy substitute for the rigors of investigation, reflection and critical thinking and an arrogant critic of all those with the courage to dream and persevere.
• Some argue that skepticism can also be a form of intellectual cowardice resulting in an inability to ever come to a conclusion or nail its colors to the mast.
• At its worst, skepticism can become a form of dogmatic denialism and a disguise for toxic cynicism, pessimism and even impotent rage caused often by a sense of betrayal of trust.
• In today’s world, cynicism and demand for proof has become mistaken for enlightened thought but the truth is unhealthy skepticism and its worship of doubt above all else never leads to true enlightenment.
• Because of the potential pitfalls of unhealthy skepticism, some argue we need to be deeply skeptical about our skepticism.

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Embrace healthy skepticism by combining skepticism with…

• Commitment, particularly a commitment to following and discovering truth wherever it may lead
• Curiosity; a genuine desire to find out
• A sense of wonder
• A love of many things
• An ability to live, at least temporarily, with uncertainty and not knowing and a deep appreciation for the profound mystery of it all
• An appreciation for paradox and ambiguity
• Radical open-mindedness including an openness to the existence of the spiritual realm
• A healthy skepticism of popular culture and realise modern consumerism has a vested interest in discouraging healthy skepticism
• A clear vision of what you stand for
• An appreciation for what is real
• Logical reasoning and deduction
• New ways of seeing things
• Imagination and creativity
• A belief in the potential of people
• Self-exploration and self-discovery

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Skepticism and atheism

• Atheism is a prevalent form of skepticism in today’s society
• Some argue that atheism sometimes errs towards unhealthy skepticism, becoming a fervid belief in disbelief, as dogmatic as any religion
• It is true to say that many atheist skeptics are far from indifferent about religion
• Some would argue that open-minded agnosticism is a purer and more valid form of skepticism than fervent atheism

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Final thoughts

• Expect all new ideas to be met with scepticism at first
• Skepticism tends to increase with age

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