Skeptisisme

Skeptisisme is a philosophical attitude and tradition that centers on questioning knowledge claims and maintaining a degree of doubt about what can be known with certainty. It is not a single dogma but a family of positions that range from systematic doubt to methodological doubt, applying to claims about reality, belief, and even justification itself. In common usage, skepticism also refers to an approach that demands evidence before accepting claims.

In the history of thought, skepticism has appeared in various forms. Ancient skeptics, notably Pyrrho of Elis and his followers, argued for suspension of judgment (epoché) to attain tranquility. Academic skeptics emphasized uncertainty about knowledge while acknowledging practical navigation of life. In modern philosophy, skepticism has been used to critique the foundations of knowledge, notably challenging the justification of inductive reasoning and causation (as raised by David Hume) and stimulating responses from thinkers such as Kant, who proposed limits to what we can know and what we can experience.

Contemporary usage often distinguishes philosophical skepticism from scientific skepticism. The latter emphasizes evidence, testability, and falsifiability in evaluating extraordinary or extraordinary claims. It promotes critical thinking and careful argumentation while avoiding cynicism or unwarranted doubt about all beliefs.

Variants of skepticism include global or radical skepticism, which questions the possibility of knowledge in principle, and local or domain-specific skepticism, which targets particular types of claims. Skeptisisme thus functions as a methodological stance in philosophy, science, and everyday reasoning, aiming to distinguish justified doubt from neglect or gullibility.