scepticism
/'skeptisizm/ Cách viết khác : (skepticism) /'skeptisizm/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A doubting or questioning attitude: Scepticism refers to a general disposition to doubt, question, or suspend judgment about the truth of claims, especially those presented as facts or knowledge.
- A philosophical position: In philosophy, scepticism denotes the doctrine that true knowledge or certainty in a particular area (or in general) is uncertain or impossible to attain.
Usage and Examples
- General Attitude:
- He viewed the politician's promises with healthy scepticism.
- Scientific progress requires a balance of open-mindedness and scepticism.
- Philosophical Position:
- The ancient school of Pyrrhonism is a classic form of philosophical scepticism.
- Her scepticism about the possibility of objective moral truth shaped her research.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Methodological Scepticism: A systematic process of doubting knowledge as a method for arriving at certainty, famously employed by René Descartes.
- Descartes' methodological scepticism led him to the famous conclusion "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am).
- Radical Scepticism: An extreme philosophical position that doubts the possibility of any knowledge beyond immediate experience.
- Radical scepticism challenges our most basic assumptions about the external world.
Variants and Related Words
- Sceptic (noun, UK spelling; US: skeptic): A person who questions or doubts accepted opinions or claims.
- He was a sceptic regarding the effectiveness of the new policy.
- Sceptical (adjective, UK spelling; US: skeptical): Having or expressing doubt.
- She was sceptical of the study's results due to its small sample size.
Synonyms
- Doubt: A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
- Incredulity: The state of being unwilling or unable to believe something.
- Dubiousness: The state of being hesitating or doubting.
- Cynicism (note: often implies a more negative, distrustful attitude towards motives).
Antonyms
- Credulity: A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true.
- Certainty: Firm conviction that something is the case.
- Dogmatism: The tendency to lay down principles as undeniably true.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- A healthy dose of scepticism: A reasonable and prudent amount of doubt.
- It's wise to approach online health claims with a healthy dose of scepticism.
- Scepticism is the first step towards truth: A proverb suggesting that doubting claims is the beginning of genuine inquiry.
- He believed that scepticism is the first step towards truth, so he questioned everything.
Noun
- the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge