Skepticism & Critical Thinking
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Skepticism isn't much good if it is simply treated as a theoretical way of approaching claims and arguments - skepticism must be practiced and applied to the real world of what people are saying. There are lots of things out there which deserve a more skeptical, critical treatment than they normally recieve - beliefs which people find comforting or fascinating, but which are poorly supported by evidence or reason.
Some of those beliefs are addressed here: astrology, alterntive medicien, and others. Skepticism is not, however, limited to just paranormal beliefs. It should be applied to other claims as well: political, religious, business, and so forth. A person whould get into the habit of thinking skeptically, not apply their skepticism selectively to just those things they don't find credible anyway.
Skeptical Investigations
-->Skepticism: Cold Reading
It sometimes seems amazing how astrologers, psychics, mediums, and fortune tellers of all types are able to tell people things about their lives and problems that they otherwise shouldn't know. Such experiences are often offered as proof positive that people like this have powers that cannot be explained by natural science and/or that a spiritual or supernatural realm really must exist - otherwise, how could these people know so much?Skepticism: Alternative Medicine
There's an awful lot in the news and in society about "alternative medicines" these days. By some estimates, it's an industry doing between $15 and $20 billion annually - and growing! But what is alternative medicine - how does it differ from scientific medicine and why do people use it?Skepticism: Astrology
Probably a quarter of the earth's population believes in astrology to some extent, and a 1997 survey for Life magazine shows that about 48 percent of Americans believe that astrology is valid. It is, perhaps, one of the oldest belief systems on the planet - evidence of astrology can be traced back to the Babylonian Empire in the 18th century BCE. But what is it and does it really work?Skepticism: The New Age
The label "New Age" is a vague, catch-all term applied all manner of modern spiritual, paranormal and religious beliefs. Just about the only thing they all have in common is that they do not derive from biblical traditions, which of course leads those who belong to the orthodox or fundamentalist wings of those biblical traditions to treat anything New Age as satanic and evil.Skepticism: Repressed Memories
One category of irrationality which has delivered more than its fair share of problems has been the "recovered memory" phenomenon, a troubling celebration of "victimization, hostility towards reason and absurdly expansive notions of addiction and abuse."
