Re: [UUPoly-L] Rational skepticism (was:"law" of attraction)

["Catherine Deville" <catdeville@cox.net>]

Desmond said: 
--- begin quote
	On Sat, 9/27/08, Catherine Deville <catdeville@cox.net> wrote:

	> ... "Rational Skepticism" *is* a philosophical POV.

I would argue that rational or scientific skepticism is a set of tools for understanding, rather than any "point of view" or "doctrine."  Yes, tools can be misused, but that doesn't mean the tools themselves are not important, or that the results made from using them properly should be ignored.

--- end quote

And I would disagree, and since your argument disregards the very definition of the word "skepticism"(1) and the broadly accepted definitions of "rational skepticism"(2), and "epistemology"(3), we'll likely have to leave it at that, as we're unlikely to budge each other from our positions.  It also disregards the way that the "Rational Skepticism" community defines itself. By their own article (2) they're an "epistemological" position (epistemology (4)  is a branch of philosophy that deals with what we can or cannot "know" and how we can "know" it... one of my favorite special interests), which makes them a *philosophical viewpoint*.  

Which is not to say that it's any more or less valid than any other religious or philosophical point of view, but to be *truly* rational, one should accept that this is what it is.  Choosing to believe that only if something can be proven is it real is a POV, just as "magickal thinking", or choosing to believe that not everything can be quantified, measure and empirically tested but that this does not make it any less real is a POV. 

Rational *skepticism*, by it's very definition, is close minded in that it begins with an assumption that anything which cannot be proven by empirical observation does not exist or is not valid. Because it is an epistemological approach, it, by it's very nature, rejects other epistemological approaches, and therefore cannot be considered a "neutral POV", anymore than any other religious or philosophical POV can be considered a "neutral POV". 

IMO a truly scientific POV can never be "skeptical", as skepticism begins with a closed mind, with "doubt", with undue, unsupported *dis*belief.  A truly scientific viewpoint may not accept as 'truth' that which cannot currently be proven, but reserves judgment, because true scientific thinking is open to the fact that current technology may not be able to categorize everything, and that all data may not be available, and recognizes that discoveries often disprove earlier theories. Truly logical and scientific thinking recognizes that argumentum ad ignorantiam and "false dilemma" are both logical fallacies, and that one can't "prove" a negative or imply that something is untrue because of lack of data.  Truly scientific thinking stays open until data is provided. 

NT, 
Cat

(1) 5 dictionary results for: skepticism
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
skepÂtiÂcism       /ËskÉptÉËsÉzÉm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[skep-tuh-siz-uhm] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
ânoun
1.	skeptical attitude or temper; doubt.
2.	doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, esp. Christianity.
3.	(initial capital letter) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt.
Also, scepticism.

[Origin: 1640â50; < NL scepticismus, equiv. to L sceptic(us) skeptic + -ismus -ism]

âSynonyms 1. questioning, probing, testing. 2. disbelief, atheism, agnosticism.
âAntonyms 2. faith.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Â Random House, Inc. 2006.

"skepticism." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 28 Sep. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/skepticism>.

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_skepticism

(3) 6 dictionary results for: epistemology
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
eÂpisÂteÂmolÂoÂgy       /ÉËpÉstÉËmÉlÉdÊi/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[i-pis-tuh-mol-uh-jee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
ânoun
a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.
[Origin: 1855â60; < Gk epistm(Ã) knowledge + -o- + -logy]

âRelated forms
eÂpisÂteÂmoÂlogÂiÂcal       /ÉËpÉstÉmÉËlÉdÊÉkÉl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[i-pis-tuh-muh-loj-i-kuhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation, adjective
eÂpisÂteÂmoÂlogÂiÂcalÂly, adverb
eÂpisÂteÂmolÂoÂgist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Â Random House, Inc. 2006.

"epistemology." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 28 Sep. 2008. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epistemology>.

(4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology