Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 22:55, 16 August 2022

Skepticism (American and Canadian English) or scepticism (British, Irish, Australian, South African and New Zealand English) is generally a questioning attitude or doubt towards one or more putative instances of knowledge which are asserted to be mere belief or dogma. Formally, skepticism is a topic of interest in philosophy, particularly epistemology. More informally, skepticism as an expression of questioning or doubt can be applied to any topic, such as politics, religion, or pseudoscience. It is often applied within restricted domains, such as morality (moral skepticism), theism (skepticism about the existence of God), or the supernatural.

Philosophical skepticism comes in various forms. Radical forms of philosophical skepticism deny that "knowledge or rational belief is possible and urge us to suspend judgment on many or all controversial matters." More moderate forms of philosophical skepticism claim only that nothing can be known with certainty, or that we can know little or nothing about nonempirical matters, such as whether God exists, whether human beings have free will, or whether there is an afterlife.

Skepticism has also inspired a number of contemporary social movements. Religious skepticism advocates for doubt concerning basic religious principles, such as immortality, providence, and revelation. Scientific skepticism advocates for testing beliefs for reliability, by subjecting them to systematic investigation using the scientific method, to discover empirical evidence for them.

Definition

In ordinary usage, skepticism (US) or scepticism (UK and Can.) (Greek: 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to search, to think about or look for; see also spelling differences) can refer to:

1. an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular subject;
2. the doctrine that true knowledge or some particular knowledge is uncertain;
3. the method of suspended judgment, systematic doubt, or criticism that is characteristic of skeptics (Merriam–Webster).

In philosophy, skepticism can refer to:

1. a mode of inquiry that emphasizes critical scrutiny, caution, and intellectual rigor;
2. a method of obtaining knowledge through systematic doubt and continual testing;
3. a set of claims about the limitations of human knowledge and the proper response to such limitations.

Philosophy

Part of a series on
Pyrrhonism
Pyrrhonists Pyrrho Timon of Phlius Aenesidemus Agrippa the Skeptic Sextus Empiricus
Concepts Ataraxia Acatalepsy Adiaphora Aporia Dogma Epoché
Similar philosophies Empiric school Epilogism Academic skepticism
Modern influence Münchhausen trilemma Benson Mates Robert Fogelin
Philosophy portal
v t e

As a philosophical school or movement, skepticism arose both in ancient Greece and India. In India the Ajñana school of philosophy espoused skepticism. It was a major early rival of Buddhism and Jainism, and a possibly major influence on Buddhism. Two of the foremost disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and Moggallāna, were initially the students of the Ajñana philosopher Sanjaya Belatthiputta, and a strong element of skepticism is found in Early Buddhism, most particularly in the Aṭṭhakavagga sutra, but it is inconclusive the total effect these philosophies had on each other. Since skepticism is a philosophical attitude and a style of philosophizing rather than a position, the Ajñanins may have influenced other skeptical thinkers of India such as Nagarjuna, Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa, and Shriharsha.

In Greece philosophers as early as Xenophanes (c. 570 – c. 475 BCE) expressed skeptical views, as did Democritus and a number of Sophists. Gorgias, for example, reputedly argued that nothing exists, that even if there were something we could not know it, and that even if we could know it we could not communicate it. The Heraclitean philosopher Cratylus refused to discuss anything and would merely wriggle his finger, claiming that communication is impossible since meanings are constantly changing. Socrates also had skeptical tendencies, claiming to know nothing worthwhile.

There were two major schools of skepticism in the ancient Greek and Roman world. The first was Pyrrhonism, founded by Pyrrho of Elis (c. 360–270 BCE). The second was Academic Skepticism, so-called because its two leading defenders, Arcesilaus (c. 315–240 BCE) who initiated the philosophy, and Carneades (c. 217–128 BCE), the philosophy's most famous proponent, were heads of Plato's Academy. Pyrrhonism's aims are psychological. It urges suspension of judgment (epoche) to achieve mental tranquility (ataraxia). The Academic Skeptics denied that knowledge is possible (acatalepsy). The Academic Skeptics claimed that some beliefs are more reasonable or probable than others, whereas Pyrrhonian skeptics argue that equally compelling arguments can be given for or against any disputed view. Nearly all the writings of the ancient skeptics are now lost. Most of what we know about ancient skepticism is from Sextus Empiricus, a Pyrrhonian skeptic who lived in the second or third century CE. His works contain a lucid summary of stock skeptical arguments.

Ancient skepticism faded out during the late Roman Empire, particularly after Augustine (354–430 CE) attacked the skeptics in his work Against the Academics (386 CE). There was little knowledge of, or interest in, ancient skepticism in Christian Europe during the Middle Ages. Interest revived during the Renaissance and Reformation, particularly after the complete writings of Sextus Empiricus were translated into Latin in 1569. A number of Catholic writers, including Francisco Sanches (c. 1550–1623), Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592), Pierre Gassendi (1592–1655), and Marin Mersenne (1588–1648) deployed ancient skeptical arguments to defend moderate forms of skepticism and to argue that faith, rather than reason, must be the primary guide to truth. Similar arguments were offered later (perhaps ironically) by the Protestant thinker Pierre Bayle in his influential Historical and Critical Dictionary (1697–1702).

The growing popularity of skeptical views created an intellectual crisis in seventeenth-century Europe. One major response was offered by the French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes (1596–1650). In his classic work, Meditations of First Philosophy (1641), Descartes sought to refute skepticism, but only after he had formulated the case for skepticism as powerfully as possible. Descartes argued that no matter what radical skeptical possibilities we imagine there are certain truths (e.g., that thinking is occurring, or that I exist) that are absolutely certain. Thus, the ancient skeptics were wrong to claim that knowledge is impossible. Descartes also attempted to refute skeptical doubts about the reliability of our senses, our memory, and other cognitive faculties. To do this, Descartes tried to prove that God exists and that God would not allow us to be systematically deceived about the nature of reality. Many contemporary philosophers question whether this second stage of Descartes's critique of skepticism is successful.

In the eighteenth century a new case for skepticism was offered by the Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711–1776). Hume was an empiricist, claiming that all genuine ideas can be traced back to original impressions of sensation or introspective consciousness. Hume argued that on empiricist grounds there are no sound reasons for belief in God, an enduring self or soul, an external world, causal necessity, objective morality, or inductive reasoning. In fact, he argued that "Philosophy would render us entirely Pyrrhonian, were not Nature too strong for it." As Hume saw it, the real basis of human belief is not reason, but custom or habit. We are hard-wired by nature to trust, say, our memories or inductive reasoning, and no skeptical arguments, however powerful, can dislodge those beliefs. In this way, Hume embraced what he called a "mitigated" skepticism, while rejecting an "excessive" Pyrrhonian skepticism that he saw as both impractical and psychologically impossible.

Hume's skepticism provoked a number of important responses. Hume's Scottish contemporary, Thomas Reid (1710–1796), challenged Hume's strict empiricism and argued that it is rational to accept "common-sense" beliefs such as the basic reliability of our senses, our reason, our memories, and inductive reasoning, even though none of these things can be proved. In Reid's view, such common-sense beliefs are foundational and require no proof in order to be rationally justified. Not long after Hume's death, the great German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) argued that human moral awareness makes no sense unless we reject Hume's skeptical conclusions about the existence of God, the soul, free will, and an afterlife. According to Kant, while Hume was right to claim that we cannot strictly know any of these things, our moral experience entitles us to believe in them.

Today, skepticism continues to be a topic of lively debate among philosophers. British philosopher, Julian Baggini, posits that reason is perceived as "an enemy of mystery and ambiguity," but, if used properly can be an effective tool for solving many larger societal issues.

Religion

Religious skepticism generally refers to doubting given religious beliefs or claims. Historically, religious skepticism can be traced back to Xenophanes, who doubted many religious claims of his time. Modern religious skepticism typically emphasizes scientific and historical methods or evidence, with Michael Shermer writing that skepticism is a process for discovering the truth rather than general non-acceptance. For example, a religious skeptic might believe that Jesus existed while questioning claims that he was the messiah or performed miracles (see historicity of Jesus). Religious skepticism is not the same as atheism or agnosticism, though these often do involve skeptical attitudes toward religion and philosophical theology (for example, towards divine omnipotence). Religious people are generally skeptical about claims of other religions, at least when the two denominations conflict concerning some stated belief. Additionally, they may also be skeptical of the claims made by atheists. The historian Will Durant writes that Plato was "as skeptical of atheism as of any other dogma".

The Baháʼí Faith also encourages skepticism, mainly centered around self-investigation of truth.

Science

A scientific or empirical skeptic is one who questions beliefs on the basis of scientific understanding and empirical evidence.

Scientific skepticism may discard beliefs pertaining to purported phenomena not subject to reliable observation and thus not systematic or testable empirically. Most scientists, being scientific skeptics, test the reliability of certain kinds of claims by subjecting them to a systematic investigation using some type of the scientific method. As a result, a number of claims are considered as "pseudoscience", if they are found to improperly apply or ignore the fundamental aspects of the scientific method.

Auditing

Professional skepticism is an important concept in auditing. It requires an auditor to have a "questioning mind", to make a critical assessment of evidence, and to consider the sufficiency of the evidence.

See also

• Critical thinking
• Debunker (one who claims to expose claims as being false)
• Scientific skepticism
• Pseudoskepticism (dogma in the form of skepticism)
• Trivialism (opposite of skepticism)
• List of topics characterized as pseudoscience
• The Skeptic (UK magazine), founded by Wendy M. Grossman, examines secularism and the paranormal
• Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, a non-profit organization to encourage the investigation of paranormal and fringe-science
• Skeptical Inquirer, magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
• The Skeptics Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to resisting the spread of pseudoscience, superstition, and irrational beliefs
• Skeptic (U.S. magazine), magazine of The Skeptics Society
• Skepticality, a biweekly podcast of the US Skeptics Society's Skeptic magazine
• The Skeptic's Dictionary, a collection of essays by Robert Todd Carroll
• Skeptical movement, a movement based on scientific skepticism, a term introduced by Carl Sagan
• Skeptics in the Pub, a social meet-up group
• The Amaz!ng Meeting, an annual conference on science, skepticism, and critical thinking

Notes

1. Popkin, R. H. "The History of Skepticism from Erasmus to Descartes (rev. ed. 1968); C. L. Stough, Greek Skepticism (1969); M. Burnyeat, ed., The Skeptical Tradition (1983); B. Stroud, The Significance of Philosophical Skepticism (1984)". Encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com.
2. "Philosophical views are typically classed as skeptical when they involve advancing some degree of doubt regarding claims that are elsewhere taken for granted." utm.edu
3. Greco, John (2008). The Oxford Handbook of Skepticism. Oxford University Press, US. ISBN 978-0195183214.
4. "Definition of SKEPTICISM". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
5. Matilal 2004, pp. 52–75. sfn error: no target: CITEREFMatilal2004 (help)
6. Diogenes Laërtius (tr. Hicks, 1925), ix.72. See also Bakalis (2005, p. 86)
7. W. T. Jones, A History of Western Philosophy. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1952, p. 60 n. 45.
8. Richard H. Popkin, "Skepticism", in Paul Edwards, ed., The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, vol. 7. New York: Macmillan, 1967, p. 449.
9. Allan Hazlett, A Critical Introduction to Skepticism. London: Bloomsbury, 2014, p. 4-5.
10. Popkin, "Skepticism", p. 450.
11. Richard H. Popkin, The History of Skepticism from Erasmus to Spinoza, rev. ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1979, chaps 1 and 2.
12. See, e.g., Popkin, The History of Skepticism, p. 210.
13. Quoted in Popkin, "Skepticism", p. 456.
14. Popkin, "Skepticism", p. 456.
15. Popkin, "Skepticism", p. 457.
16. See, e.g., John Greco, ed., The Oxford Handbook of Skepticism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
17. Radford, Benjamin; Frazier, Kendrick (January 2017). "The Edge of Reason: A Rational Skeptic in an Irrational World". Skeptical Inquirer. 41 (1): 60.
18. Mann, Daniel (13 December 2009). "Skeptical of Atheism". Apologetics for Today. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
19. Smith, Peter (2000). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. pp. 266–267. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
20. "Scientific Skepticism, CSICOP, and the Local Groups – CSI". www.csicop.org. July 1999. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
21. "AU 230 Due Professional Care in the Performance of Work". pcaobus.org. Retrieved 28 April 2018.

Sources

• A Greek-English Lexicon, Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones, with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie, Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK, 1940. Online, perseus.tufts.edu.
• Butchvarov, Panayot, Skepticism About the External World (Oxford University Press, 1998).
• Daniels, M.D., D.; Price, PhD, V. (2000), The Essential Enneagram, New York: HarperCollins
• Richard Hönigswald, Die Skepsis in Philosophie und Wissenschaft, 1914, new edition (ed. and introduction by Christian Benne and Thomas Schirren), Göttingen: Edition Ruprecht, 2008, ISBN 978-3-7675-3056-0
• Keeton, Morris T., "skepticism", pp. 277–278 in Dagobert D. Runes (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophy, Littlefield, Adams, and Company, Totowa, NJ, 1962.
• Le Morvan, P. (March 2011). "Healthy Skepticism and Practical Wisdom" (PDF). Logos & Episteme. 2 (1). Institute for Economic and Social Research: 87–102. doi:10.5840/logos-episteme20112151. ISSN 2069-0533. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2019.
• Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language, Second Edition, Unabridged, W.A. Neilson, T.A. Knott, P.W. Carhart (eds.), G. & C. Merriam Company, Springfield, MA, 1950.

Further reading

• Wilson, Richard (2009). Don't Get Fooled Again: A Sceptic's Handbook. Icon. ISBN 978-1848310520.
• Popkin, Richard H. (2003). The History of Scepticism : From Savonarola to Bayle. Oxford University Press, US. ISBN 978-0198026716.
• Bury, Robert Gregg (1933). Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Pyrrhonism. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674993013.
• Empiricus, Sextus; Annas, Julia; Barnes, Jonathan (20 July 2000). Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Scepticism. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521778091.
• Burnyeat, Myles (1983). The Skeptical Tradition. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520037472.
• Rosa L; Rosa E; Sarner L; Barrett S (1 April 1998). "A close look at therapeutic touch". JAMA. 279 (13): 1005–1010. doi:10.1001/jama.279.13.1005. ISSN 0098-7484. PMID 9533499.
• Novella, Steven (2018). The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1473696419.
• Pearcey, Nancy (2005). Total Truth:Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. Crossway Books. ISBN 978-1581347463.
• Thaxton, Charles (1994). The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy. Crossway Books. ISBN 978-0891077664.

External links

• Skepticism at PhilPapers
• Skepticism at the Indiana Philosophy Ontology Project
• Klein, Peter. "Skepticism". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
• Vogt, Katja. "Ancient Greek Skepticism". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
• Thorsrud, Harald. "Ancient Greek Skepticism". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
• Bolyard, Charles. "Medieval Skepticism". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
• Pritchard, Duncan. "Contemporary Skepticism". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
• Template:Curlie
• "Most Scientific Papers are Probably Wrong" Archived 19 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, New Scientist, 30 August 2005
• Classical Skepticism by Peter Suber
• "Outstanding skeptics of the 20th century" – Skeptical Inquirer magazine

Links to related articles

v t e Analytic philosophy Related articles Areas of focus Metaphysics Epistemology Language Mathematics Science Turns Aretaic Linguistic Performative Logic Classical Deviant Mathematical Non-classical Paraconsistent Philosophical Predicate Theories Anti-realism Causal theory of reference Descriptivism Emotivism Feminism Functionalism Logical atomism Logical positivism Marxism Neurophilosophy Ordinary language Pragmatism Quietism Scientific structuralism Sense data Analytic theology Analytical Thomism Concepts Analysis (paradox of analysis) Analytic–synthetic distinction Counterfactual Natural kind Reflective equilibrium Supervenience Modality Actualism Necessity Possibility Possible world Realism Rigid designator Philosophers Noam Chomsky Keith Donnellan Gottlob Frege Edmund Gettier Jaakko Hintikka Giuseppe Peano Russ Shafer-Landau Ernest Sosa Barry Stroud Australian realism David Malet Armstrong David Chalmers J. L. Mackie Peter Singer J. J. C. Smart Cambridge Arif Ahmed Charlie Broad Casimir Lewy Norman Malcolm G. E. Moore Graham Priest Bertrand Russell Frank P. Ramsey Ludwig Wittgenstein Oxford G. E. M. Anscombe J. L. Austin Michael Dummett Antony Flew Philippa Foot Peter Geach Paul Grice R. M. Hare Alasdair MacIntyre Derek Parfit Gilbert Ryle John Searle P. F. Strawson Richard Swinburne Charles Taylor Bernard Williams Timothy Williamson Logical positivists A. J. Ayer Ernest Nagel Berlin Circle Carl Gustav Hempel Hans Reichenbach Vienna Circle Rudolf Carnap Hans Hahn Otto Neurath Moritz Schlick Friedrich Waismann Harvard Roderick Chisholm Donald Davidson Daniel Dennett Nelson Goodman Christine Korsgaard Thomas Nagel Robert Nozick Hilary Putnam W. V. O. Quine John Rawls Notre Dame Robert Audi Peter van Inwagen Pittsburgh School Robert Brandom Patricia Churchland Paul Churchland Adolf Grünbaum John McDowell Ruth Millikan Alexander Pruss Nicholas Rescher Wilfrid Sellars Bas van Fraassen Pragmatism Susan Haack Nicholas Rescher Morton White Princeton Alonzo Church Jerry Fodor Kurt Gödel David Lewis Jaegwon Kim Saul Kripke Richard Rorty Nathan Salmon Michael Walzer Quietism James F. Conant Alice Crary Cora Diamond Reformed Alvin Plantinga William Lane Craig Nicholas Wolterstorff Science Paul Feyerabend Thomas Kuhn Karl Popper Stanford School Nancy Cartwright John Dupré Peter Galison Ian Hacking Patrick Suppes Lwow-Warsaw Jan Łukasiewicz Alfred Tarski Category Index v t e Epistemology Epistemologists Thomas Aquinas Augustine of Hippo William Alston Robert Audi A. J. Ayer George Berkeley Laurence BonJour Gilles Deleuze Keith DeRose René Descartes John Dewey Fred Dretske Edmund Gettier Alvin Goldman Nelson Goodman Paul Grice Anil Gupta Susan Haack David Hume Immanuel Kant Søren Kierkegaard Peter Klein Saul Kripke Hilary Kornblith David Lewis John Locke G. E. Moore John McDowell Robert Nozick Alvin Plantinga Plato Duncan Pritchard James Pryor Hilary Putnam W. V. O. Quine Thomas Reid Bertrand Russell Gilbert Ryle Wilfrid Sellars Susanna Siegel Ernest Sosa P. F. Strawson Baruch Spinoza Timothy Williamson Ludwig Wittgenstein Nicholas Wolterstorff Vienna Circle more... Theories Coherentism Constructivism Contextualism Empiricism Evolutionary epistemology Fallibilism Feminist epistemology Fideism Foundationalism Holism Infinitism Innatism Naïve realism Naturalized epistemology Phenomenalism Positivism Rationalism Reductionism Reliabilism Representational realism Skepticism Transcendental idealism Concepts A priori knowledge A posteriori knowledge Analysis Analytic–synthetic distinction Belief Common sense Descriptive knowledge Exploratory thought Epistemic injustice Epistemic virtue Gettier problem Induction Internalism and externalism Justification Knowledge Objectivity Privileged access Problem of induction Problem of other minds Perception Procedural knowledge Proposition Regress argument Simplicity Truth more... Related articles Outline of epistemology Faith and rationality Formal epistemology Metaepistemology Philosophy of perception Philosophy of science Social epistemology Virtue epistemology Category Task Force Stubs Discussion v t e Skepticism Types of skepticism Philosophical Radical Local Moral Scientific Religious Skeptical philosophies Academic Skepticism Ajñana Cartesian Charvaka Humeanism Pyrrhonism Solipsism Skeptical philosophers Pyrrho Timon Arcesilaus Lacydes Carneades Clitomachus Philo of Larissa Cicero Aenesidemus Agrippa Sextus Empiricus Montaigne René Descartes David Hume Skeptical scenarios Acatalepsy Brain in a vat Dream argument Evil genius Five-minute hypothesis Münchhausen trilemma Problem of the criterion Problem of induction Simulation hypothesis Wax argument Responses Here is one hand Semantic externalism Process reliabilism Epistemic closure Contextualism Relativism Lists List of books about skepticism List of scientific skeptics List of skeptical conferences List of skeptical magazines List of skeptical organizations List of skeptical podcasts v t e Philosophy of science Concepts Analysis Analytic–synthetic distinction A priori and a posteriori Causality Mill's Methods Commensurability Consilience Construct Correlation function Creative synthesis Demarcation problem Empirical evidence Experiment design Explanatory power Fact Falsifiability Feminist method Functional contextualism Hypothesis alternative null Ignoramus et ignorabimus Inductive reasoning Intertheoretic reduction Inquiry Nature Objectivity Observation Paradigm Problem of induction Scientific evidence Evidence-based practice Scientific law Scientific method Scientific pluralism Scientific Revolution Testability Theory choice ladenness scientific Underdetermination Unity of science Variable control dependent and independent more... Theories Coherentism Confirmation holism Constructive empiricism Constructive realism Constructivist epistemology Contextualism Conventionalism Deductive-nomological model Epistemological anarchism Evolutionism Fallibilism Foundationalism Hypothetico-deductive model Inductionism Instrumentalism Model-dependent realism Naturalism Physicalism Positivism / Reductionism / Determinism Pragmatism Rationalism / Empiricism Received view / Semantic view of theories Scientific essentialism Scientific formalism Scientific realism / Anti-realism Scientific skepticism Scientism Structuralism Uniformitarianism Verificationism Vitalism Philosophy of... Biology Chemistry Physics Space and time Social science Archaeology Economics‎ Geography History Linguistics Psychology Related topics Criticism of science Descriptive science Epistemology Exact sciences Faith and rationality Hard and soft science History and philosophy of science Non-science Pseudoscience Normative science Protoscience Questionable cause Relationship between religion and science Rhetoric of science Science studies Sociology of scientific ignorance Sociology of scientific knowledge Philosophers of science Precursors Roger Bacon Francis Bacon Galileo Galilei Isaac Newton David Hume Auguste Comte Henri Poincaré Pierre Duhem Rudolf Steiner Karl Pearson Charles Sanders Peirce Wilhelm Windelband Alfred North Whitehead Bertrand Russell Otto Neurath C. D. Broad Michael Polanyi Hans Reichenbach Rudolf Carnap Karl Popper Carl Gustav Hempel W. V. O. Quine Thomas Kuhn Imre Lakatos Paul Feyerabend Ian Hacking Bas van Fraassen Larry Laudan Category Philosophy portal Science portal

• Philosophy
• Psychology

• Skepticism
• Epistemological theories
• Philosophical methodology
• Philosophical movements
• Psychological attitude
• Scientific method
• Doubt