Definition
of Skeptical Thinking
Skeptical Thinking
Individuals who exhibit a skeptical attitude attempt to minimize the chance that they will incorrectly accept a claim that is, in fact, false. The skeptical attitude is motivated primarily by the need to know reality and is characterized most importantly by two complementary tendencies:
- Evaluation of disconfirming evidence (falsification). One looks for evidence/reasons that contradict a claim. This tendency involves an evaluation of the quality of the disconfirming evidence/reasons to determine whether or not the claim should be rejected.
- Evaluation of confirming evidence (verification). One looks for evidence/reasons that are consistent with a claim. This tendency involves an evaluation of the quality of the supporting evidence/reasons to determine whether or not the claim should be accepted.
Characteristics of a Skeptic. A skeptic is a person who is not easily persuaded or convinced when presented with a questionable claim. A skeptical person habitually evaluates questionable claims deeply by logically evaluating the relevant evidence-based knowledge. In general, a skeptic is a person who:
- Values deliberative reasoning more than intuition when evaluating questionable claims
- Tries to determine the reliability and accuracy of information
- Tends to be tolerant of uncertainty
- Believes that the acceptance of a claim is always provisional
- Believes that the testing of a questionable claim requires one to seek out disconfirming evidence and to carefully consider such evidence
- Believes that appearances can often mislead and that observing requires interpretation
- Is very curious about the world and has a strong desire to understand reality
- Is most influenced by central factors when evaluating a claim
- Believes that truth does not depend upon one’s perspective
Credulous Thinking
Credulity is an attitude in which one attempts to minimize the chance that one will reject a claim that is, in fact, true. The credulous attitude is characterized most importantly by the tendency to accept a questionable claim with little or no evaluation of the relevant evidence. Instead, the nature of the claim—the desire to believe that the claim is true or its consistency with other beliefs held by the person, as well as various peripheral factors (e.g., the claim was made by an authority figure)—are most influential in the acceptance of the claim.
Characteristics of a “Credulist.” A credulist is a person who is easily persuaded or convinced when presented with a questionable claim. A credulous person habitually evaluates questionable claims superficially and often focuses on non-evidential factors. In general, a credulist is a person who:
- Values intuition more than deliberative reasoning when evaluating a questionable claim
- Is not overly concerned with the reliability and accuracy of information
- Believes that the acceptance or rejection of a claim need not be based upon the examination of evidence/reasons
- Tends to be intolerant of uncertainty
- Believes that the acceptance or rejection of a questionable claim may be final and absolute
- Believes that the testing of a questionable claim requires one to seek out only supporting evidence and tends to explain away or ignore contradictory evidence
- Believes that appearances do not mislead and that observing is a straightforward matter
- Is not especially curious about the world and does not have a strong desire to understand reality
- Is strongly influenced by peripheral factors when evaluating a questionable claim
- Believes that truth depends on one’s perspective (i.e., that there is no single truth “out there” that we can know)
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