SKEPTICS AND SKEPTICISM

 

A question that has come up over and over with my students over the years is how to balance skepticism and critical thinking in our everyday lives. Does being a critical thinker mean that we must be suspicious and skeptical all the time?

 

To answer this question, I am paraphrasing a section from an excellent book on critical thinking Critical Thinking, Science and Pseudoscience by Caleb W. Lack and Jacques Rousseau

 

According to Caleb Lack and Jacques Rousseau, becoming skeptical in one’s daily life means not being complacent that we always get things right and being aware of the mistakes we might make. However, being skeptical does not mean being negative or cynical. It means not making a judgement when evidence is incomplete. It also means reaching a judgement or a conclusion justified by available evidence, even if that conclusion is uncomfortable or goes against what we have believed so far.

 

Caleb and Rousseau agree that critical thinking and a skeptical outlook may not always be welcomed by people we may be talking or debating with. People usually do not like being told they are wrong or have not thought through an issue at depth. Besides, people may so strongly believe in something that questioning that belief may be impossible.  It is important to remember that that though we might feel that we are absolutely right in a particular situation, others might feel the same too.  Good skeptics always accommodate the possibility that they may themselves be wrong, as said by Richard Feynman (quoted by Caleb and Rousseau),  “I can live with doubt and uncertainty. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong.”

Caleb and Rousseau list out certain values that a good skeptic could cultivate:

 

Firstly, since the term skeptic is often has a connotation of arrogance, a major quality that a skeptic needs to have is humility. This does not mean having a low view of ourselves, but to be able to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity and recognize the limits of our own knowledge. We should strive to be comfortable with saying ‘I don’t know’ and recognize that it is not a flaw, but a virtue to be able to recognize what we do and do not know.  

 

Secondly, good skeptics should also keep an open mind, willing to change their beliefs ---whether regarding scientific, moral, or social problems -- in response to new evidence.

 

Thirdly, skeptics also need empathy. Even if someone’s point of view contradicts our own, it is important to understand why they believe that.  To make ourselves heard, we need to keep in mind that people will be more inclined to listen if they feel understood and not attacked or put down.  

 

Fourthly, skeptics strive to apply their skepticism in all areas of life, including their own thinking. If we cannot take a critical look at our own beliefs or positions in issues, how can we be trusted to be skeptical of others’ beliefs?

 

They go on to say that although it is impossible to be a perfect thinker, it is relatively easy to be a better thinker than we currently are. The process to do so is by looking for evidence when necessary and to point out when the evidence is not enough to support the claims made. However, when we are trying to persuade someone else of something, we need to present the case as fairly and thoroughly as we can.