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Skeptical is too often confused with cynical. Cynicism, while often a useful position, if followed to a fault, can be as capricious and limiting as faith.
Question is how far can one go with skepticism since there is a danger if one goes too far how can you tell what is a bit of truth? If say a scientist believes something is 'slightly' true hey we'd all be in a lot trouble.
Good thing they don't - like the religious who say that some of the Bible is slightly true in that maybe it didn't happen that way..but is true nevertheless.
No, if science is not pretty sure something is true, it will say it is still theoretical - unproven, but strong supporting evidence would make a likely hypothesis.
If you have a problem with or misunderstanding of this, then I suggest you get it straight.
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True. And at the same time I think people sometimes dismiss and disparage the notion that that 'sentient consciousness' is valid in understanding and ordering the world around us in such a way that we recognize that yes we are all special and unique and use that thinking to express the nature of each and every one of our identities as we relate to the world. And a way we express that nature is through our 'beliefs'.
I suppose we do. The Skeptic just happens to think that our nature and the world around us deserves beliefs that are based on validated research, not just of some slap it down on a sheet of paper guess work suppositions.
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Originally Posted by PegE
Oh, oh! Good answer! And so true.
Your enthusiastic applause makes me wonder if you read it properly. Skepticism is healthy questioning of claims. Though I do not deny that explaining away of even claims that have some basis with rather far -fetched rationalizations is to be itself the subject of question.
Cynicism may have some value in wondering what's in the sack before you put your hand in. But it can go too far in that you miss out on what's good through sheer over suspicion.
Good answer and so true, as you say. But that is only when it goes too far.
To put it in perspective, religious faith is 'gone too far' all the time. It rarely if ever becomes reasonable, or it risks disappearing altogether.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 03-17-2014 at 12:38 PM..
Skepticism is in my nature. The flipside of that is curiosity. Skeptics tend to be very curious people who ask a lot of questions, and that has served me well in my career (journalism). We also tend not to end up with crappy used cars.
However, I will confess that there are times when I'd like to be able to believe in some kind of spirituality, or the concept of souls and an afterlife. I'd love to believe that I will once again see those I've loved who have died. Yes, yes, not believing just makes you want to cherish people while they are still here, and be inclined to forgive people, but I miss them.
Alas, I do not believe, and you can't force yourself to believe something you don't.
Yes, an afterlife does sound attractive, and I tried hard to find out whether there was one when I was younger. Regrettably I have to consider it rather unlikely and instead make the most of this life as though it was the only one I had.
After all- if there really is one, I haven't lost anything and if there isn't, I never had anything to lose anyway.
Good thing they don't - like the religious who say that some of the Bible is slightly true in that maybe it didn't happen that way..but is true nevertheless.
No, if science is not pretty sure something is true, it will say it is still theoretical - unproven, but strong supporting evidence would make a likely hypothesis.
If you have a problem with or misunderstanding of this, then I suggest you get it straight.
I suppose we do. The Skeptic just happens to think that our nature and the world around us deserves beliefs that are based on validated research, not just of some slap it down on a sheet of paper guess work suppositions.
Your enthusiastic applause makes me wonder if you read it properly. Skepticism is healthy questioning of claims. Though I do not deny that explaining away of even claims that have some basis with rather far -fetched rationalizations is to be itself the subject of question.
Cynicism may have some value in wondering what's in the sack before you put your hand in. But it can go too far in that you miss out on what's good through sheer over suspicion.
Good answer and so true, as you say. But that is only when it goes too far.
To put it in perspective, religious faith is 'gone too far' all the time. It rarely if ever becomes reasonable, or it risks disappearing altogether.
I understood what he said and my response to it perfectly. But thanks.
Some background: I was a pretty religious Catholic until age 23. Now I'm 32 and strongly nonreligious, and I'm not budging there.
I was curious about Buddhism and other Eastern Philosophy (I know the philosophy/religion line is pretty blurred there), not because I want another religion, but because enough people I respect have found meaning in it that, yeah, there must be something there worth exploring. If not a credible religion, at least a new way of thinking, or something.
But when I looked up the basics of it, my first instinct was to find the flaws and be skeptical. Then I realized I would do that with most Western Philosophy too (which I currently know very little of). And that skepticism tends to be my default approach to anything - "schools of thought," personality theories, psychological disorders, etc. Obviously it's the right attitude for astrology and Catholicism, but is it the right attitude for everything?
Anyone else a little tired of being skeptical? I feel like I'm missing out. I think what I need is to slightly believe something without dogmatically believing it. Or just to read things and absorb them without constantly deciding whether they're flawed (most of them probably are).
Thoughts?
As a papist, you'll most likely discount my opinion as one born of a lazy mind, that has succumbed to dogma.
But I can't resist..................
Perhaps your skepticism comes from some inner dissatisfaction with the imperfect.
I was in a really weird mood when I made the original post. That evening, my girlfriend said I acted like I was having a major personal crisis, and it was stressing her out. I had lots going through my mind; it kind of all came crashing at once.
So let me try to rephrase my question. I'm not looking for belief in God, exactly. I'm looking for...new ways of thinking. And I know that many people have found Eastern Religions led them to new ways of thinking. Heck, some friends of mine seem to get things out of pagan rituals. And there's nothing more easily refutable than that...but I can tell it benefits them somehow. Same with reading philosophy.
So what I was thinking is...I feel that I can't go all the way into these new ways of thinking, since I get skeptical from the outset. Was wondering if anyone else felt the same.
(This may be a better question for the Philosophy forum. However, in my opinion the CD Philosophy forum really bites it. "Is this or that commonplace practice morally wrong, deuhrrr?" All things considered, the Religion forum is really not that bad.)
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Originally Posted by Oakback
As a papist, you'll most likely discount my opinion as one born of a lazy mind, that has succumbed to dogma.
But I can't resist..................
Perhaps your skepticism comes from some inner dissatisfaction with the imperfect.
And I'd call that.... God hunger
Based on your very brief answer, I'd say you got it right in the boldface.
I was in a really weird mood when I made the original post. That evening, my girlfriend said I acted like I was having a major personal crisis, and it was stressing her out. I had lots going through my mind; it kind of all came crashing at once.
So let me try to rephrase my question. I'm not looking for belief in God, exactly. I'm looking for...new ways of thinking. And I know that many people have found Eastern Religions led them to new ways of thinking. Heck, some friends of mine seem to get things out of pagan rituals. And there's nothing more easily refutable than that...but I can tell it benefits them somehow. Same with reading philosophy.
So what I was thinking is...I feel that I can't go all the way into these new ways of thinking, since I get skeptical from the outset. Was wondering if anyone else felt the same.
(This may be a better question for the Philosophy forum. However, in my opinion the CD Philosophy forum really bites it. "Is this or that commonplace practice morally wrong, deuhrrr?" All things considered, the Religion forum is really not that bad.)
Based on your very brief answer, I'd say you got it right in the boldface.
My opinion.
Science is weirder and more interesting than most religions. It also holds out the only real hope of eternal sapient existence. Start reading up on the singularity and trans-humanism. Buckle up, the next 30 years are gonna be a helluva ride.
I was in a really weird mood when I made the original post. That evening, my girlfriend said I acted like I was having a major personal crisis, and it was stressing her out. I had lots going through my mind; it kind of all came crashing at once.
So let me try to rephrase my question. I'm not looking for belief in God, exactly. I'm looking for...new ways of thinking. And I know that many people have found Eastern Religions led them to new ways of thinking. Heck, some friends of mine seem to get things out of pagan rituals. And there's nothing more easily refutable than that...but I can tell it benefits them somehow. Same with reading philosophy.
So what I was thinking is...I feel that I can't go all the way into these new ways of thinking, since I get skeptical from the outset. Was wondering if anyone else felt the same.
(This may be a better question for the Philosophy forum. However, in my opinion the CD Philosophy forum really bites it. "Is this or that commonplace practice morally wrong, deuhrrr?" All things considered, the Religion forum is really not that bad.)
Based on your very brief answer, I'd say you got it right in the boldface.
As a papist, you'll most likely discount my opinion as one born of a lazy mind, that has succumbed to dogma.
But I can't resist..................
Perhaps your skepticism comes from some inner dissatisfaction with the imperfect.
And I'd call that.... God hunger
I would tend to agree with you, Oak.
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Originally Posted by averysgore
Based on your very brief answer, I'd say you got it right in the boldface.
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Originally Posted by Oakback
I should've know.
Is set one, right up for you.
And you hit it out of the park
You did throw one right down the pipe, Oak!!
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