Definitions for skepticism
ˈskɛp təˌsɪz əmskep·ti·cism

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. incredulity, disbelief, skepticism, mental rejectionnoun

   doubt about the truth of something

2. agnosticism, skepticism, scepticismnoun

   the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. skepticismnoun

   The practice or philosophy of being a skeptic.

2. skepticismnoun

   A studied attitude of questioning and doubt

3. skepticismnoun

   The doctrine that absolute knowledge is not possible

4. skepticismnoun

   A methodology that starts from a neutral standpoint and aims to acquire certainty though scientific or logical observation.

5. skepticismnoun

   Doubt or disbelief of religious doctrines

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Skepticismnoun

   Universal doubt; pretence or profession of universal doubt.

   Etymology: scepticisme, French, from sceptick.

   I laid by my natural diffidence and scepticism for a while, to take up that dogmatick way. Dryden.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Skepticism

   Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the person doubts that these claims are accurate. In such cases, skeptics normally recommend not disbelief but suspension of belief, i.e. maintaining a neutral attitude that neither affirms nor denies the claim. This attitude is often motivated by the impression that the available evidence is insufficient to support the claim. Formally, skepticism is a topic of interest in philosophy, particularly epistemology. More informally, skepticism as an expression of questioning or doubt can be applied to any topic, such as politics, religion, or pseudoscience. It is often applied within restricted domains, such as morality (moral skepticism), atheism (skepticism about the existence of God), or the supernatural. Some theorists distinguish "good" or moderate skepticism, which seeks strong evidence before accepting a position, from "bad" or radical skepticism, which wants to suspend judgment indefinitely. Philosophical skepticism is one important form of skepticism. It rejects knowledge claims that seem certain from the perspective of common sense. Radical forms of philosophical skepticism deny that "knowledge or rational belief is possible and urge us to suspend judgment on many or all controversial matters." More moderate forms claim only that nothing can be known with certainty, or that we can know little or nothing about nonempirical matters, such as whether God exists, whether human beings have free will, or whether there is an afterlife. In ancient philosophy, skepticism was understood as a way of life associated with inner peace. Skepticism has been responsible for many important developments in science and philosophy. It has also inspired several contemporary social movements. Religious skepticism advocates for doubt concerning basic religious principles, such as immortality, providence, and revelation. Scientific skepticism advocates for testing beliefs for reliability, by subjecting them to systematic investigation using the scientific method, to discover empirical evidence for them.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. skepticism

   Skepticism is the philosophical or scientific attitude of doubting the authenticity, credibility, or truth of certain statements, beliefs, or knowledge. It involves questioning accepted facts, interpretations, or theories, and critical evaluation of evidence. It does not necessarily mean denial, but rather a suspension of judgment until more concrete evidence or logical reasoning is presented.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Skepticismnoun

   an undecided, inquiring state of mind; doubt; uncertainty

2. Skepticismnoun

   the doctrine that no fact or principle can be certainly known; the tenet that all knowledge is uncertain; Pyrrohonism; universal doubt; the position that no fact or truth, however worthy of confidence, can be established on philosophical grounds; critical investigation or inquiry, as opposed to the positive assumption or assertion of certain principles

3. Skepticismnoun

   a doubting of the truth of revelation, or a denial of the divine origin of the Christian religion, or of the being, perfections, or truth of God

4. Etymology: [Cf. F. scepticisme.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Skepticism

   Skepticism or scepticism is generally any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere. Philosophical skepticism is an overall approach that requires all information to be well supported by evidence. Classical philosophical skepticism derives from the 'Skeptikoi', a school who "asserted nothing". Adherents of Pyrrhonism, for instance, suspend judgment in investigations. Skeptics may even doubt the reliability of their own senses. Religious skepticism, on the other hand is "doubt concerning basic religious principles".

How to pronounce skepticism?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

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   Mark

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   Daniel

   British

   Libby

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   Mia

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   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

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   Priya

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   Neerja

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   Zira

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   Oliver

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   Wendy

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   Fred

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   Tessa

   South African

How to say skepticism in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of skepticism in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of skepticism in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of skepticism in a Sentence

1. Jang Il Hun:

   This event is a futile attempt on the part of the United States and South Korea to give credibility to the Commission of Inquiry report amid increasing skepticism ... the report was based on fabricated forced testimonies.

2. Chad Walsh:

   From the utopian viewpoint, the United States constitution is a singularly hard-bitten and cautious document, for it breathes the spirit of skepticism about human altruism and incorporates a complex system of checks, balances and restrictions, so that everybody is holding the reins on everybody else.

3. Chuck Grassley:

   The IRS always seems to be able to find more resources when it wants to. Because of that, and because of non-taxpayer service activities, like union work on the taxpayer’s dime, the IRS deserves skepticism when it continuously seeks more money.

4. Adam Schiff:

   Now, after learning that we have been excluded from parts of the investigation, and that the majority has held secret interviews with key witnesses and withheld information. I fear this skepticism may have been all too justified.

5. Trump Jr.:

   I had no way to gauge the reliability, credibility or accuracy of any of the things he was saying. As it later turned out, my skepticism was justified, the meeting provided no meaningful information and turned out not to be about what had been represented.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=skepticism
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Skepticism
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=skepticism
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skepticism
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skepticism
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=skepticism