So I've been unable to blog for the past few days due to my telco (they shall remain nameless, [cough] Telecom, excuse me) dropping my internet service. But we're back up and running now and hopefully there will be no further interruptions.
Right then. Today I want to blog about just what is Skepticism and what does it mean to me.
Let's start by saying what Skepticism is not. Skepticism is not Cynicism, denial, arrogance or closed mindedness.
Skepticism is a method for approaching things with a view to evaluating the best available evidence on the subject and reaching a supported conclusion. When a claim is made. The good Skeptic will think. That's interesting. I wonder if that's supported by any evidence? Is it consistent with what we know about the world and how it works? The mind set of the skeptic can be best summarized as thinking critically. Approach everything with a critical mind set and reject those things that cannot be proven to a reasonable standard.
What does being a Skeptic and engaging in skeptical activism offer? The skill set that Skeptics employ is useful all the time. There are far too many people that are willing to take advantage of someones lack of critical thinking skills to rip them off with cons, scams, and do nothing products and services. Taking a skeptical approach to these things can save a lot of time, effort and money. Skeptical activism seeks to educate the public about people that will pray on the ignorance and gullibility of others. Skeptics seek to teach others the critical thinking skills that they require in order to sort out the truth from all the bs.
It's far more satisfying to have a world view that is firmly grounded in reality. It's also better for your wallet and your health.
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