- published: 07 Aug 2012
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Skepticism or scepticism (see spelling differences) is generally any questioning attitude towards unempirical knowledge or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere. Skepticism is often separated into categories, related to morality (right or wrong), religion (religious doubt), or the nature of knowledge ("there is no knowledge beyond how things appear.")
Philosophical skepticism is a systematic approach that questions the notion that absolutely certain knowledge is possible. Classical philosophical skepticism derives from the 'Skeptikoi', a school who "asserted nothing". Adherents of Pyrrhonism (and more recently, partially synonymous with Fallibilism), 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 (such as immortality, providence, and revelation)".Scientific skepticism is about testing beliefs for reliability, by subjecting them to systematic investigation using the scientific method, to discover empirical evidence for them.