Skepticism Quotes - Page 5

• There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've made a discovery.

  Enrico Fermi

  Science, Discovery, Two

  "Nuclear Principles in Engineering". Book by Tatjana Jevremovic, 2005.

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• The deepest, the only theme of human history, compared to which all others are of subordinate importance, is the conflict of skepticism with faith.

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  History, Political, Conflict

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• In science, a healthy skepticism is a professional necessity, whereas in religion, having belief without evidence is regarded as a virtue.

  Paul Davies

  Healthy, Belief, Virtue

  "Taking Science on Faith" by Paul Davies, www.nytimes.com. November 24, 2007.

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• It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.

  Arthur Conan Doyle

  Education, Mistake, Math

  "A Scandal in Bohemia" (1891)

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• Those afraid of the universe as it really is, those who pretend to nonexistent knowledge and envision a Cosmos centered on human beings will prefer the fleeting comforts of superstition. They avoid rather than confront the world. But those with the courage to explore the weave and structure of the Cosmos, even where it differs profoundly from their wishes and prejudices, will penetrate its deepest mysteries.

  Carl Sagan

  Knowledge, Science, Wish

  "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage". Book by Carl Sagan, p. 332, 1980.

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• Skepticism is like a microscope whose magnification is constantly increased: the sharp image that one begins with finally dissolves, because it is not possible to see ultimate things: their existence is only to be inferred.

  Stanislaw Lem

  Microscopes, Existence, Magnification

  Stanislaw Lem (1984). “His Master's Voice”, p.205, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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• Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in human history?

  Dan Brown

  Demand, Wonder, Virtue

  Dan Brown (2005). “Angels & Demons”, p.289, Simon and Schuster

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• People are not stupid. They believe things for reasons. The last way for skeptics to get the attention of bright, curious, intelligent people is to belittle or condescend or to show arrogance toward their beliefs.

  Carl Sagan

  Stupid, Believe, Intelligent

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• I realize that idealism is out of sync with the cynicism of our age. Skepticism has come to be synonymous with sophistication, and glibness is mistaken for intelligence. In such an atmosphere, why bother aiming high? Far too many people don't. I just want to reassure people to have the courage to persevere, to keep following their hearts even when others scoff. Don't be beaten down by naysayers. Don't let the odds scare you from even trying.

  Howard Schultz

  Courage, Heart, Odds

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• Old age is the lubricant of belief. When death knocks at the door, skepticism flies out the window. A serious cardiovascular fright and a person will even believe in Little Red Riding Hood.

  Carlos Ruiz Zafon

  Believe, Doors, Age

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• I'm beginning to be skeptical of my own skepticism.

  Lilian Jackson Braun

  Skeptical, My Own

  Lilian Jackson Braun (1990). “The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts”, p.142, Penguin

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• The doctrine of the sacredness of the soul sounds vaguely uplifting, but in fact is highly malignant. It discounts life on earth as just a temporary phase that people pass through, indeed, an infinitesimal fraction of their existence…the gradual replacement of lives for souls as the locus of moral value was helped along by the ascendency of skepticism and reason

  Steven Pinker

  Uplifting, People, Soul

  Steven Pinker (2011). “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined”, p.170, Penguin

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• The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers if a person only tells them with all his might.

  Mark Twain

  Lying, Might, Believer

  Mark Twain, Bob Blaisdell (2013). “The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain”, p.62, Courier Corporation

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• A wise skepticism is the first attribute of a good critic.

  James Russell Lowell

  Wise, Wisdom, Criticism

  "Literary Essays, vol. III". Book by James Russell Lowell, 1870-1890.

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• Skepticism must go hand in hand with rationality. When theories are shown to be false, the correct thing to do is to move on.

  Brian Cox

  Moving, Hands, Theory

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• [Intellectual courage is] the quality that allows one to believe in one's judgement in the face of disappointment and widespread skepticism. Intellectual courage is even rarer than physical courage.

  John Charles Polanyi

  Courage, Disappointment, Believe

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• Sceptics are generally ready to believe anything, provided it is sufficiently improbable.

  Karl Ludwig von Knebel

  Believe, Ready, Improbable

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• It begins with skepticism. The history of human folly, and our own susceptibility to illusions and fallacies, tell us that men and women are fallible.

  Steven Pinker

  Men, Illusion, Folly

  Steven Pinker (2011). “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined”, p.209, Penguin

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• The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.

  Frank Herbert

  Knowledge, Caring, Discovery

  Frank Herbert (2008). “God Emperor of Dune”, p.150, Penguin

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• What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.

  Bertrand Russell

  Believe, Science, Opposites

  "Sceptical Essays". Book by Bertrand Russell, Ch. 12: Free Thought and Official Propaganda, 1928.

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• Cynicism and skepticism are the crudest form of quasi-intellectualism... Let the cynic become cynical of his cynicism and the skeptic skeptical of his skepticism and join the battle.

  R. C. Sproul

  Cynical, Battle, Cynicism

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• Faith is the surrender of the mind; it's the surrender of reason, it's the surrender of the only thing that makes us different from other mammals. It's our need to believe, and to surrender our skepticism and our reason, our yearning to discard that and put all our trust or faith in someone or something, that is the sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith must be the most overrated.

  Christopher Hitchens

  Atheist, Believe, Animal

  "Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (Holier Than Thou)". TV Series, May 23, 2005.

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• The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holders lack of rational conviction. Opinions in politics and religion are almost always held passionately.

  Bertrand Russell

  Passion, Opinion, Critical Thinking

  Sceptical Essays "Introduction: On the Value of Skepticism" (1961)

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• The fear of God is not the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God is the death of wisdom. Skepticism and doubt lead to study and investigation, and investigation is the beginning of wisdom.

  Clarence Darrow

  Doubt, Study, Investigation

  Clarence Darrow (1995). “Why I Am an Agnostic and Other Essays”

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• An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist, someone who has compelling evidence against the existence of God. I know of no such compelling evidence. Because God can be relegated to remote times and places and to ultimate causes, we would have to know a great deal more about the universe than we do now to be sure that no such God exists. To be certain of the existence of God and to be certain of the nonexistence of God seem to me to be the confident extremes in a subject so riddled with doubt and uncertainty as to inspire very little confidence indeed.

  Carl Sagan

  Atheist, Inspire, Doubt

  "Conversations with Carl Sagan". Book edited by Tom Head, p. 70, 2006.

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