"The Skeptical Inquirer claims to speak for science, reason, and a well-educated public. But along with other apologists for archaic science it continues to promote an illusion -- the tacit suggestion that its readers are more literate and more 'scientific.' Here a rude awakening may be called for.....
"It takes far less effort to find and move to the society that has what you want than it does to try to reconstruct an existing society to match your standards." - Harry Browne, How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:19 am
BeneGesseritBrother
Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 13
The original definition of skeptic was a person who questions ALL beliefs, facts, and points-of-view. A healthy perspective in my opinion.
Today's common definition of skeptic is someone who questions any belief that strays outside of the status quo, yet leaving the status quo itself completely unquestioned. Kind of a juvenile and intellectually lazy practice in my opinion.
Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:36 am
momopi
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 3761
Location: Orange County, California
A leap of faith, in its most commonly used meaning, is the act of believing in something without, or in spite of, available empirical evidence. It is an act commonly associated with religious belief as many religions consider faith to be an essential element of piety.
Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:33 pm
Winston Site Admin
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Posts: 13837
BeneGesseritBrother wrote:
The original definition of skeptic was a person who questions ALL beliefs, facts, and points-of-view. A healthy perspective in my opinion.
Today's common definition of skeptic is someone who questions any belief that strays outside of the status quo, yet leaving the status quo itself completely unquestioned. Kind of a juvenile and intellectually lazy practice in my opinion.
It's not just that, but today's skeptic and debunker flat out deny all evidence or rationalize it away, or they never even bother to investigate, research, ask questions, or examine evidence.
For some reason, most western males deny anything beyond the 5 sense a priori, even if they know nothing about parapsychology. This is kind of irrational. But they do it anyway. It's kind of a "guy thing". I and others are an exception of course. But I am extremely well read in parapsychology, while most guys who think it is all bunk, are not. Thus my opinion is far more qualified.
I have noticed though, that older western males tend to be more open to the existence of things beyond the 5 senses, than younger guys are.
"It takes far less effort to find and move to the society that has what you want than it does to try to reconstruct an existing society to match your standards." - Harry Browne, How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:15 am
Winston Site Admin
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Posts: 13837
momopi wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_of_faith
A leap of faith, in its most commonly used meaning, is the act of believing in something without, or in spite of, available empirical evidence. It is an act commonly associated with religious belief as many religions consider faith to be an essential element of piety.
W: True, but sometimes making a leap of faith pays off and gets results. Any devout Christian can give stories and examples of this happening. To dismiss it all as coincidence is not logical either. One needs an open mind that considers all possibilities.
Conversely, to deny something a priori that you know nothing about, is also a sort of leap of faith too.
"It takes far less effort to find and move to the society that has what you want than it does to try to reconstruct an existing society to match your standards." - Harry Browne, How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:17 am
BeneGesseritBrother
Joined: 29 Dec 2008
Posts: 13
Wu says-
"It's not just that, but today's skeptic and debunker flat out deny all evidence or rationalize it away, or they never even bother to investigate, research, ask questions, or examine evidence. "
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