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Does skepticism make you smarter?

Ersby said:
Well, after a weekend when I made myself look like a complete [rule 8]hole in the pub in front of a woman I fancy, I'd have to say: More intelligent, yes, but wiser, no.
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Heh, you didn't talk about fossils did you?

:crowded:
 
EGarrett said:
But skepticism helps you exercise the mind. Lifting weights would make you stronger...
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Just as one may go to the gym and exercise without knowing proper form or practice it is possible to "be skeptical" without "being a skeptic." I'm sure we all know people who disregard palm reading and astrology but feverishly believe in their religion of choice.

Being a skeptic is knowing how to exercise your mind.
 
I'm fairly certain everyone here is smarter than I.
Don't kick me out. :(
 
Being a skeptic doesn't make you smarter but often makes you a smartarse. Countless threads on this forum make it clear that skeptics will argue the toss about ANYTHING, now matter how small. Such is the desire of many skeptics to be "right".
 
Splossy said:
Being a skeptic doesn't make you smarter but often makes you a smartarse. Countless threads on this forum make it clear that skeptics will argue the toss about ANYTHING, now matter how small. Such is the desire of many skeptics to be "right".
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I'm going to have to argue with you about your conclusion; granted it is a possible conclusion however it is not the only one that can be drawn, for instance it could just be that people on this forum like to discuss things and to challenge each other to help to improve their own reasoning skills.

I need more evidence before I accept your conclusion.








;)
 
A perfect example. Thank you.

Although I think you should have at least argued about the precise definition of at least 50% of the words I used.
 
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Splossy said:
Being a skeptic doesn't make you smarter but often makes you a smartarse. Countless threads on this forum make it clear that skeptics will argue the toss about ANYTHING, now matter how small. Such is the desire of many skeptics to be "right".
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You say that as if being a smartass was something bad. :confused:

You also say that as if wanting to be right was something bad, too.

Yes, I do have a desire to be right. That's a good thing, because otherwise it'd mean I wouldn't care if I was right or wrong about something. There are things where I don't care - only you won't see me arguing about them *at all*.

Why state an opinion on something if you don't care if it's right or wrong? What's the point, particularly in a discussion forum, to not try and work out the truth behind things? You make that sound as if even arguments as such would be bad things.

Granted, maybe, sometimes, under extremely rare circumstances it would be better if both sides could agree that they are not making progress, or that the point under debate is not of much importance to the overall scheme of things and that the debate should move on. But to get to that point you have to explore the issue first.

I have a desire to be right. I also have a strong desire to be corrected should I be wrong. Discussions may ensue, because if in agreement neither side believed they were right, they wouldn't blurt out their fancy ideas in the first place.

I see no value in just agreeing over something that I believe to be wrong only because otherwise I would have to debate it. Debate is good. Disagreement is good, too. Agreement is better, and so's compromise - but that not the same as shutting up. Now, being wrong or mistaken, that's bad. Not caring whether one is wrong or right, that's just despicable.
 
Being a skeptic doesn't make you smarter but often makes you a smartarse.
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Being a skeptic generally, as in having a notable trait of critical thought, can but not inherently.

Because aren't we oft viewed as a smartarses when we oppose some conjecture/theory/claim with witty comments, denial or slamming criticism?
The applies for your garden variety woo, who are skeptical about certain claims by skeptics in turn.

To be intellectually doubtful is to be a smartarse in many a beholders eyes.
 
Rasmus said:
So what would make me smarter, if I am currently below my genetic potential?
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If we are here we are on the right track. Exercising our logical/critical thinking skills - learning to think - will equip us use what intelligence we possess.
 
But of course, the only person who has to worry about smartasses who challenge their claims are people who don't have the evidence to shut the smartasses up.

Remember that song, talking about how everyone laughed Edison when he claimed he recorded sound...and at the Wright Brothers when they said they made a machine that could fly etc etc.
 
Gulliamo said:
If we are here we are on the right track. Exercising our logical/critical thinking skills - learning to think - will equip us use what intelligence we possess.
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And how is that not the same as "being a sceptic"?
 
Rasmus said:
And how is that not the same as "being a sceptic"?
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Hmmm. You're likely correct. I was trying to point out that "being a skeptic" doesn't increase ones IQ but maybe I was less than effective.
 
Gulliamo said:
Hmmm. You're likely correct. I was trying to point out that "being a skeptic" doesn't increase ones IQ but maybe I was less than effective.
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Maybe, but I agree that it doesn't increase your IQ - but that is just one factor that would influence how smart you are. And there will be other ways to become smarter than by being a sceptic
 
If my life doesn't improve by believing in some imaginary mental construct that doesn't exist, skepticism is merely seeing reality without any fabrications.
 
lolurigeller said:
If my life doesn't improve by believing in some imaginary mental construct that doesn't exist, skepticism is merely seeing reality without any fabrications.
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Skepticism would still be merely seeing reality without any fabrications, even if your life did somehow improve if you were a believer.
 
I noticed that Bobby Fischer was/is 6'7"...

But then again Mozart was 5'6"...
 
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