3 replies to this topic

[Loonboy]

[blue]How healthy is skepticism?

I agree that in the face of new 'evidence' you have to be logical, curious, realistic, methodical, suspicious and sometimes harsh, but at the same time isn't an open mind a great asset?

If someone says There's a UFO to me, I say what else could it be before we call it a spaceship?. Only when all known possibilities are discounted, do I begin to consider the alternative 'speculative' options, such as alien craft/time machines etc.

That's not skepticism, that's realistic investigation.

To me 'skepticism' is debunking for debunking's sake. In other words: sticking your head in the sand. Can that be healthy?[/blue] ???

[PurpleStuart]

I think that i'm skeptic - i used to believe in everything but that was not through proof - it was due to the 'romanticism' of the mysterious.  I believe that point of view is more dangerous than that of a skeptic. That said i don't believe in debunking for its own sake as such (surely if you do debunk something it was false to start with) - i just want proof. Not absolute proof, but proof that it isn't something that we can explain at the moment. Proof that all the other options have been checked. Unfortunately, on the web there is sooo much crap backed up with anecdotal evidence that just can't be accepted as proof. If someone i know gives me anecdotal evidence i'll believe it (if i trust them of course!) but otherwise that sort of evidence is as good as useless - if we have no gauge on the person telling the story how do we know he/she didn't just make it up?

Skepticism balanced with an open mind is healthy and (i believe) the best way to investigate this subject.

[Saru]

The most healthy way to look at the unexplained, is to be open to all the possibilities, but never really take anything as fact until there is sufficient evidence.

Some UFO "investigators" and the like tend to be out there to debunk everything with little regard to any evidence presented. Their opinion is that unless someone proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that something exists, it isn't real.

On the other hand you have the hardcore believers, who seem to be happy believing absolutely anything you tell them. Some people will believe the most outrageous things, which is worse than complete skepticism.

Half way between the two you have an open, but cautious approach to unexplained subjects. Nothing is impossible, but some things are highly unlikely.

[Mentalcase]

Well Said SaRuMaN!