question re skeptics

[panchov]

Hi there, I'm wondering about skeptics in general - are you all atheists? Is it possible to be a skeptic and beleive in a soul? Do you have to beleive in God to beleive in a soul (guess that one's not really pertinent to skepticism). I understand this is not an atheist organization and I'm not trying to start a debate about whether there is a God, just if there's some for the most part standard belief pattern on the part of skeptics.

 

[skeptifem]

is there evidence of souls exsisting?

 

[Gr8wight]

Hi there, I'm wondering about skeptics in general - are you all atheists? Is it possible to be a skeptic and beleive in a soul? Do you have to beleive in God to beleive in a soul (guess that one's not really pertinent to skepticism). I understand this is not an atheist organization and I'm not trying to start a debate about whether there is a God, just if there's some for the most part standard belief pattern on the part of skeptics.

Skepticism is not a belief...or a lack of belief. It is simply a way of examining claims we encounter in order to decide whether or not to invest belief in them. There is a lot written about skepticism in the blogosphere if you want to learn more about how skeptics think.

While not all skeptics are atheists, or even agnostic, it is very common, as the kind of questions we ask about claims we come across are the kind of questions religion tends to have inadequate answers to.

As a starting point, here is a blog post I wrote about the topic about a year ago: Why Skepticism? There's a link to another skepticism related blog at the end of that post, so you can use it as a jumping off point to explore the skeptical blogiverse.

 

[Judge Bean]

The existence of God has nothing to do with the use of reason to analyze claims of fact. It seems that no two devout people can be found to agree on what God expects from them, anyway, even after granting His existence.

A skeptic in my view would insist on the value of doubt, and apply its beneficial use to any claim, including whether or not there are supernatural beings. A person who fears that doubt and questioning is blasphemous has based his faith on a very flimsy pedestal.

Doubt, in keeping with its original Latin meaning, means hesitation and questioning-- what gives you pause?

 

[Fnord]

Hi there, I'm wondering about skeptics in general - are you all atheists?

No. I am a Theist.

Is it possible to be a skeptic and beleive in a soul?

Yes, although some Atheists may disagree.

Do you have to beleive in God to beleive in a soul (guess that one's not really pertinent to skepticism).

No, as some psychologists/psychiatrists equate the "Soul" with the "Super-Ego," while others discount Freud's theories entirely. Also, some religions deny the existance of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God while maintaining the existance of a "Soul."

 

[slingblade]

Hi there, I'm wondering about skeptics in general - are you all atheists?

Sigh.

There are many skeptics in the world. We don't know all of them. Most of us on this forum will not presume to speak for them as if we do know. How do you expect us to answer this question, really?

Is it possible to be a skeptic and beleive in a soul?

Some do. So, yeah, it's possible.

Do you have to beleive in God to beleive in a soul (guess that one's not really pertinent to skepticism).

I dunno. Belief is often nothing more than personal opinion, and is often shared within groups, or across spectrums of people, society, and cultures. I don't think there are any requirements for belief of any kind, save willingness.

To be a skeptic also requires a willingness....to ask yourself if what you think you know is really so, to examine your beliefs, and to question assumptions rather than just accept them.

It's just my opinion, but to me, belief seems like just the opposite: to never question certain assumptions, but just accept them. Or to examine them just long enough to find confirmation of what you already think, and then stop looking. Personally, I don't trust belief. It's let me down horribly, all my life.

I understand this is not an atheist organization and I'm not trying to start a debate about whether there is a God, just if there's some for the most part standard belief pattern on the part of skeptics.

But why do you ask? To me, it sounds like you want to construct new pigeonholes to stuff people and ideas into. As though you are trying to define your categories for stereotypes.

Personally, and I mean no insult to anyone, I find skepticism and belief incompatible. I find it odd, even hypocritical, to examine some things, but not others, as if some concepts are exempt from inspection. But that's just my opinion, and I don't mean to dictate to anyone his or her definition of skeptic. That's not my place.

If you are not already familiar with the fallacy of the True Scotsman, I suggest you look into it. I think that's what your questions amount to, though I don't say you're purposely arguing that concept.

 

[ynot]

Hi there, I'm wondering about skeptics in general - are you all atheists? Is it possible to be a skeptic and beleive in a soul? Do you have to beleive in God to beleive in a soul (guess that one's not really pertinent to skepticism). I understand this is not an atheist organization and I'm not trying to start a debate about whether there is a God, just if there's some for the most part standard belief pattern on the part of skeptics.

You don’t believe everything that others believe, therefore you are a sceptic in relation to those beliefs. I don’t describe myself as a sceptic but I’m sceptical of many things. No person is either a total sceptic or believer. It’s all a matter of degree. What’s important is not so much what you believe but why you believe. Emotion is far less likely to represent truth than intellect.

 

[LTC8K6]

Yes, we are the borg. You will now be assimilated.

 

[kosai]

To the Original Poster:

Have you read "There is No God" by Penn Jillette? It speaks for one skeptic about their religious beliefs. You can find it by Googling (I'd post a link if I was allowed.) Why not read that and come back and discuss it?

 

[panchov]

Sigh.

There are many skeptics in the world. We don't know all of them. Most of us on this forum will not presume to speak for them as if we do know. How do you expect us to answer this question, really?



Some do. So, yeah, it's possible.




I dunno. Belief is often nothing more than personal opinion, and is often shared within groups, or across spectrums of people, society, and cultures. I don't think there are any requirements for belief of any kind, save willingness.

To be a skeptic also requires a willingness....to ask yourself if what you think you know is really so, to examine your beliefs, and to question assumptions rather than just accept them.

It's just my opinion, but to me, belief seems like just the opposite: to never question certain assumptions, but just accept them. Or to examine them just long enough to find confirmation of what you already think, and then stop looking. Personally, I don't trust belief. It's let me down horribly, all my life.



But why do you ask? To me, it sounds like you want to construct new pigeonholes to stuff people and ideas into. As though you are trying to define your categories for stereotypes.

Personally, and I mean no insult to anyone, I find skepticism and belief incompatible. I find it odd, even hypocritical, to examine some things, but not others, as if some concepts are exempt from inspection. But that's just my opinion, and I don't mean to dictate to anyone his or her definition of skeptic. That's not my place.

If you are not already familiar with the fallacy of the True Scotsman, I suggest you look into it. I think that's what your questions amount to, though I don't say you're purposely arguing that concept.

I'm really just having a boring day at work and I thought i might get to know some of you by how you answer. True Scotsman, never heard of it. Have to look into it.



So I went and read it. Very very very very interesting!

 

[slingblade]

I'm really just having a boring day at work and I thought i might get to know some of you by how you answer. True Scotsman, never heard of it. Have to look into it.



So I went and read it. Very very very very interesting!

Heh, fair enough. Boredom's no stranger.

I find fallacies fascinating. If you liked that one, you might try nizkor.org and their list. It's huge, and you may be surprised at how many you recognize, but didn't know they had names, or were fallacies.

Eh, I'm a geek about stuff like that. And welcome to the forum.

 

[DrewD]

Why Skepticism?.

Great post!

 

[Diagoras]

I think if you apply skepticism properly, you don't claim things as true that you don't have evidence for (e.g. gods, devils, souls, angels, etc.). However, I guess you could apply skepticism to everything except the question of God and still reasonably be called a skeptic. After all, pretty much everybody has a few beliefs that they don't believe for logical reasons, and although you can legitimately be a skeptic and still hold on to some such irrational beliefs, the point of skepticism is to minimize them and ideally eradicate them. Theism, like other irrational beliefs, is inherently anti-skeptical, yet it is not impossible to be a theist who is good at applying skepticism to all sorts of things. That's called compartmentalization, and we humans are great at it.

 

[kosai]

Gr8wight:
Nice write-up thanks for the post... this is going in my bookmarks for people who ask the "whatzaskeptic" question.

 

[fromdownunder]

Everybody is sceptical about something:

I suspect pretty well every Christian is sceptical about Muhammed's writings on Allah. Everybody who is not a member of the LDS would probably be sceptical about Joseph Smith receiving gold tablets from Moroni, and the accounts in the Book of Mormon.

YECs, are sceptical (or should that be ignorant?) about evolution, and certainly have to, by definition, be sceptical of Von Daniken's claims of "ancient astronauts".

Most non Roman Catholics are sceptical of the idea of the Virgin Mary popping up in Grottos, statues, trees, clouds......

I suppose this list could go on forever, since, there must be around 6 billion people who are sceptical of something.

Norm

 

[Jeff Corey]

...No, as some psychologists/psychiatrists equate the "Soul" with the "Super-Ego,"..

Name one.

 

[panchov]

Everybody is sceptical about something:

I suspect pretty well every Christian is sceptical about Muhammed's writings on Allah. Everybody who is not a member of the LDS would probably be sceptical about Joseph Smith receiving gold tablets from Moroni, and the accounts in the Book of Mormon.

YECs, are sceptical (or should that be ignorant?) about evolution, and certainly have to, by definition, be sceptical of Von Daniken's claims of "ancient astronauts".

Most non Roman Catholics are sceptical of the idea of the Virgin Mary popping up in Grottos, statues, trees, clouds......

I suppose this list could go on forever, since, there must be around 6 billion people who are sceptical of something.

Norm

Hi, what's a YEC? I"m confused because from the first part of the sentence it sounds like you're talking about people who aren't up on science, don't know about evolution, then the second part sounds like they would be scientific because they are skeptical of ancient astronauts?

For some reason, I read the top part as Who are not users of LSD... Had to give it a second glance to see it correctly. (My take was funnier though.)

 

[panchov]

I think if you apply skepticism properly, you don't claim things as true that you don't have evidence for (e.g. gods, devils, souls, angels, etc.). However, I guess you could apply skepticism to everything except the question of God and still reasonably be called a skeptic. After all, pretty much everybody has a few beliefs that they don't believe for logical reasons, and although you can legitimately be a skeptic and still hold on to some such irrational beliefs, the point of skepticism is to minimize them and ideally eradicate them. Theism, like other irrational beliefs, is inherently anti-skeptical, yet it is not impossible to be a theist who is good at applying skepticism to all sorts of things. That's called compartmentalization, and we humans are great at it.

So now, you don't have to answer this on a personal level, otherwise we're likely to start a year long debate..but how do skeptics believe in love since it can't be proven? Or is it common among skeptics to not believe in love?

You guys are great, I'm trying to read all the answers! Thanks so much.

 

[Showmeproof]

I think if you apply skepticism properly, you don't claim things as true that you don't have evidence for (e.g. gods, devils, souls, angels, etc.). However, I guess you could apply skepticism to everything except the question of God and still reasonably be called a skeptic. After all, pretty much everybody has a few beliefs that they don't believe for logical reasons, and although you can legitimately be a skeptic and still hold on to some such irrational beliefs, the point of skepticism is to minimize them and ideally eradicate them. Theism, like other irrational beliefs, is inherently anti-skeptical, yet it is not impossible to be a theist who is good at applying skepticism to all sorts of things. That's called compartmentalization, and we humans are great at it.

Good to see you are reading up on your Freud ....Compartmentalization is a defense mechanism that humans beings often used as believed by Freud.

 

[Showmeproof]

Well, in all honesty, I am skeptical about many things that are discussed on this board (ghosts, aliens, psychics, etc, etc). Though, one topic that I seem to go back and forth on is the belief in God or a supernatural being. At times, I find myself becoming religious, and other times waivering in these convictions. So many aspects of my life I hold true to my beliefs and convictions. I am definitely a skeptic on most things, but with God, I never seem to go over to the side of complete atheism. Something always draws me back to believing. And like a ping pong ball, I bounce back and forth between believing, pondering, not believing and back to believing. And I do not come from a religious family at all. I am 26 years old and can honestly say that my attempts to try and find a solid ground in regards to my religious beliefs have been futile. I still walk around aimlessly like a child in the dark!