If you have stumbled upon this blog from some random web search looking for (as the otherwise-anonymous statistics suggest) information on playing music to your baby in the womb, optical illusions for kids, or even (on rare instance) banjo lessons, you may be wondering what exactly you have found in this site. I’ve tried to explain my own interpretation of capital-S Skepticism in my own little About Page by writing: Defined, skepticism is a method of rigorous thought where one suspends judgment, systematically doubts, and thinks critically about new ideas before accepting them as truths. But others, far more seasoned than I, have elaborated and pontificated much more deeply than I on the topic.

Critical thought and Skepticism go hand-in-hand. And for those unfamiliar with the ideology, the first thing that should be told is that this blog is nothing more than a green and fledgling member of a wide-spread, growing international community of rooted individuals seeking to share the benefits of pausing to think about the things we’ve all been told. I’m still trying to find my voice in that community, albeit from the perspective of passing those critical thinking skills onto kids. Thus, understanding what that community entails, and how skeptical fathers can tap into it to become critical thinking role models is a fundamental aspect of the mission of this blog.

I thought I would take a few minutes and compile a (admittedly very short) list of some of the multitude of definitions of “Skepticism” available on the web. But rather than plug you, dear reader, into a vague dictionary entry or lengthy Wikipedia explanation, I would point you at some of the sites owned and operated by other Skeptics in the wide community. There is no particular order for the pieces listed, nor is there any real basis for inclusion other than the pages cited have readily accessible definitions and explanations for their blogging or writing efforts — and they are pages or resources I have found personally enjoyable and useful.

But again, how does this fit into a skeptical parenting blog? The short answer: skeptical parents need to have skeptical thoughts, so read on. So, what is Skepticism, anyhow?

Brian Dunning at skeptoid.com emphasizes the critical thinking, scientific approach to skepticism. Skeptoid is a weekly critical thinking essay-style podcast that hones in on one particular topic of interest and examines it from a skeptical perspective. Among other things, this definition is a little more permissive than many with respect to belief and religion, inviting more folks into the fold on the condition of critical thought and scientific analysis:

Many skeptics are deeply religious, and are satisfied with the reasoning process that led them there. Skeptics apply critical thinking to different aspects of their lives in their own individual way. Everyone is a skeptic to some degree.^[1]

Karen Stollznow at Bad Langauge starts her analysis of the Skeptic’s dilemma with the common plea that Skepticism does not equate to cynicism, and attempts to debunk the fundamental misconception that Skeptics are curmudgeons who would rather poo-poo the world. In reality, Skepticism is about appreciating what is true and interpreting that based on questioning and evidence:

We all have the ability to question, so we should all be natural skeptics. Kids make great skeptics! They exhibit curiosity and a keenness to understand the world around them. Remember though, that children will believe that they are always being told the truth by the ‘wise’, ‘knowledgeable’ adult. ^[2]

Dr. Robert Carroll at the Skeptic’s Dictionary has written an extensive FAQ (something that I need to do) that answers numerous questions (obviously) that have been posed about his own perspective on skepticism. One of my favorite excerpts from this is his response to “why aren’t you skeptical of skepticism?” question:

Skepticism is an attitude, not a belief or set of beliefs. Skepticism involves a willingness to inquire, to investigate, to think critically about any subject. The alternative to skepticism is to accept things on faith and assert them dogmatically. Skepticism is a virtue; irrational dogmatism is a vice. There is no need to defend skepticism. Irrational dogmatism is indefensible. ^[3]

And to sum things up, the folks over at The Skeptic Society (publishers of Skeptic magazine) ask us to discover Skepticism with a plea for science and reason, and give the nod to Socrates who famously said “All I know is that I know nothing.”

…skepticism is a method, not a position. Ideally, skeptics do not go into an investigation closed to the possibility that a phenomenon might be real or that a claim might be true. When we say we are “skeptical,” we mean that we must see compelling evidence before we believe. ^[4]

If nothing else, reading any of these definitions should teach you one thing: think about everything. Critical thought is at the core of Skepticism, a — if not the — pillar of the community. But don’t take my word for it.

[1] www.skeptoid.com
[2] www.bad-language.com
[3] www.skepdic.com
[4] www.skeptic.com

Skeptical Tidbits

As a side-note, a new little (regular) feature I’m going to try out starting today: Skeptical Tidbits. At the bottom of posts I’ll be adding little random notes of various kinds. For example:

Evidence #1: New research in vaccines and autism debate slams the door on the myth. See the run-down on Science Based Medicine.

Skeptic’s Tip #1: Skepticism can also be correctly spelled with ‘c’ as in scepticism. This will double your opportunity to find great information online.