Skepticism – What’s it mean?

Via Joe Nickell we get, what to date, is the best, most concise definition of skepticism I have come accross.

SKEPTICISM:

Science

Knowledge

Evidence

Postulations

Testing

Impartiality

Criticism

Investigation

Solving

Mastery

That is, with Science as a basis, one approaches some question or mystery using past Knowledge and acquired Evidence to form Postulations (or hypotheses) which undergo Testing to rank them, with Impartiality (i.e., guarding against bias) and Criticism (the act of making judgments), finally conducting an Investigation (targeted research) that results in Solving (or determining the most likely explanation for) the mystery at hand, providing Mastery over it.

Pure deliciousness! I didn’t know one could wax poetic about the word skepticism but Joe just did! Smooooooth! Love it!

The New Snake Oil

An article in the Chicago Tribune (January 14, 2009) heralded “Doctors going alternative.” Written by Julie Deardorff, it affirmed that mainstream physicians are increasingly employing treatments like acupuncture—collectively what is called “holistic,” “complementary,” “alternative,” or “integrative” medicine.

The article quotes New Age physician Andrew Weil, whose gullibility once led him to believe Uri Geller could bend metal with “psychic” power. (See James Randi, The Truth About Uri Geller, 1975, pp. 61–86.) Weil told the Tribune, “The public has been on board for some time,” regarding integrative medicine. “The professionals are harder to win over.”

READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY AT “CENTER FOR INQUIRY”