Skepticism

Skepticism (British spelling: Scepticism) can mean:

Skeptics and cynics

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"Keeping an open mind is a virtue?but not so open that your brains fall out", James Oberg.

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Skeptics are often confused with, or even denounced as, cynics. However, valid skeptical criticism (as opposed to arbitrary or subjective misgivings about an idea) strictly originates from an objective and methodological examination of a subject. Cynicism, on the other hand, is a viewpoint that maintains a generally negative attitude toward human motivations and sincerity. While the two positions are not mutually exclusive, and skeptics may also be cynics, each represents a fundamentally different philosophy about the nature of the world.

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Many critics accuse scientific skeptics of being "closed-minded" or of inhibiting scientific progress. While such critics may occasionally be correct, frequently the accusations are simply attempts by pseudoscientists, paranormalists, and spiritualists to discredit their own critics without having to provide evidence to prove their claims.

Related Topics:
Pseudoscientists - Paranormalists - Spiritualists

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