Effective Skepticism

Humble

• Aware of limitations in own beliefs

• Not arrogant

Independent of thought

• Not a worshiper of the status quo

• Able to avoid social pressures and group-think

• Understanding that consensus does not imply truth

Not intellectually combative

• Not attacking the views of others

• Not trying to win

• Not mocking the views of others

• No ad hominen attacks

Not dogmatic

• Not a pseudo skeptic

• Non-theological

• Non-authoritarian

• Agnostic in all things

• No such thing as “the science is settled”

Open to Ideas

• But not credulous

• Capable of wonder

• Suspending judgment

• Not closed to new ideas

• Open to new perspectives

• Striving to put aside biases

• Not rejecting without consideration of evidence

• Not pathologically skeptical

Reflective

• Trying to understand

• Questioning self

• Questioning others

• Evaluative

• Cautious in reaching conclusions

• Using evidence based thinking