Wikipedia:WikiProject Skepticism

WikiProject Skepticism

WikiProject Skepticism is a WikiProject dedicated to creating, improving, and monitoring articles related to Scientific skepticism, including articles about claims related to science and philosophy which are contrary to the current body of scientific evidence, or which involve the paranormal. The project ensures that these articles are written from a neutral point of view, and do not put forward invalid claims as truth.

The project is focused on clarifying the distinction between science and pseudoscience, history and pseudohistory, and between philosophy and pseudophilosophy. The project is not concerned with articles whose subject matter deals with the foundational concepts of philosophical skepticism, which is covered by the Epistemology task force.

Some examples of the areas which the project monitors are alternative medicine, magick, psychics, dowsing, Ancient astronauts etcetera.

This WikiProject aims primarily to coordinate the efforts of Wikipedians who wish to promote science and reason in an effort to improve the general quality and range of Wikipedia articles on various topics, while maintaining a neutral point of view, generally with particular emphasis on the Fringe guidelines.

The goals of this WikiProject are as follows:

1. To create new articles relating to science and reason.
2. To create new Wikipedia articles regarding those topics not yet covered by Wikipedia, but which are covered by The Skeptic's Dictionary.
3. To place {{WikiProject Skepticism}} tags on articles related to Scientific skepticism, fraudster tags on articles concerning convicted fraudsters, and add to criticisms where reliably sourced criticism is appropriate.
4. To review articles and help those of an appropriate quality through the processes of Good Article and Featured Article review.
5. To improve and clean up those articles which need help.
6. To serve as a nexus and discussion area for editors interested in doing such work.

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Rational skepticism or Scientific skepticism (British English spelling: scepticism) sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a scientific, or practical, epistemological position in which one questions the veracity of claims based on the empirical evidence offered for them, or lack thereof. In practice, a scientific skeptic generally focuses on critically examining claims and theories and determines whether they are scientifically valid, or are beyond the mainstream of science.

Scientific skepticism is different from philosophical skepticism, which questions our right to claim knowledge about the nature of the world and how we perceive it. Scientific skepticism utilizes critical thinking and attempts to oppose claims made which lack suitable evidential basis.

Cleanup listing for this project is available. See also the tool's wiki page and the index of WikiProjects.