No ghosts need apply.
- Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
Tags: sherlock-holmes ghosts scepticism realism sherlockian holmesian
Scepticism is never certain of itself, being less a firm intellectual position than a pose to justify bad behavior.
Fulton J. SheenTags: atheism sin scepticism immorality
There was no sign of Plato, and I was told later that he had gone to live in his Republic, where he was cheerfully submitting to his own Laws. [...] None of the Stoics were present. Rumour had it that they were still clambering up the steep hill of Virtue [...]. As for the Sceptics, it appeared that they were extremely anxious to get there, but still could not quite make up their minds whether or not the island really existed.
Lucian of SamosataTags: scepticism stoicism plato republic
A Christian telling an atheist they're going to hell is as scary as a child telling an adult they're not getting any presents from Santa.
Ricky GervaisTags: humor christianity religion atheism humour comedy rationality scepticism skepticisim
It could always all be unreal - how could you ever tell otherwise? You took it on trust, in part because what would be the point of doing anything else? When the fake behaved exactly like the real, why treat it as anything different? You gave it the benefit of the doubt, until something proved otherwise.
Iain M. BanksTags: doubt reality scepticism virtual-reality
I always got a bit pissed off with those broadsheet sceptics who make their living being passionately angry about homeopathy, God, synchronicity or whatever, because it's as if they can't get past their emotions, and in their rage they become as faith-driven as the beliefs they criticise. I always said they give scientists a bad name. After all, science has to be about asking unthinkable questions, not closing down debate.
Scarlett ThomasTags: religion atheism skepticism scepticism skeptics sceptics
It seems to me that they only seem to mention things in the Bible that are within a 5 mile radius of the guy writing it.
Jim JefferiesTags: bible comedy scepticism stand-up-comedy
The True Believer ignores anything that doesn't fit his belief system. Instead, he inevitably comes to hold those beliefs at a very profound level. They can become absolutely part of his identity. It is this that brings together the religious, the psychic, the cynic (as opposed to the open skeptic) and the narrow-minded of all kinds. It is something I encountered a lot among my fellow Christians. At one level it can be seen in the circular discussion which goes as follows:
Why do you believe in the bible?
Because it is Gods word.
And why do you believe in God?
Because of what it says in the bible.
At a less obvious level, it can be seen in the following common exchange:
Why do you believe Christianity is true?
Because I have the experience of a personal relationship with God.
So how do you know you're not fooling yourself?
Because i know it is real.
Even as an enthusiastic believer myself I could see this kind of tautology at work, and over time I realized that it is common to all forms of True Belief., regardless of the particular belief in question. The fact is, it's enormously difficult - and you need to be fantastically brave - to overcome the circularity of your own ideologies. But just because our identity might be tied up with what we believe, it doesn't make that belief any more correct. One wishes that True Believers of any sort would learn a little modesty in their convictions.
Tags: religion scepticism
The greatest tragedy with a sceptic is that he cannot consign himself to truth, however he may see it.
Raheel FarooqTags: truth philosophy trust scepticism
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