#skeptic

Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#knowledge #reason #ridicule #skepticism #jesus

Faeries and vampires were glittery now? Honestly. ↗

— Kiersten White

#twilight #supernatural

The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do not determine what's true. ↗

— Carl Sagan

#skepticism #truth #determination

Most institutions demand unqualified faith; but the institution of science makes skepticism a virtue. ↗

— Robert K. Merton

#skepticism #faith

...Today the lack of faith is an expression of profound confusion and despair. Once skepticism and rationalism were progressive forces for the development of thought; now they have become rationalizations for relativism and uncertainty. ↗

— Erich Fromm

#skepticism #faith

Skepticism is a virtue in history as well as in philosophy. ↗

— Napoleon Bonaparte

#philosophy #skepticism #virtue #well

It is evident that skepticism, while it makes no actual change in man, always makes him feel better. ↗

— Ambrose Bierce

#always #better #change #evident #feel

I always got a bit pissed off with those broadsheet sceptics who make their living being passionately angry about homeopathy, God, synchronicity or whatever, because it's as if they can't get past their emotions, and in their rage they become as faith-driven as the beliefs they criticise. I always said they give scientists a bad name. After all, science has to be about asking unthinkable questions, not closing down debate. ↗

— Scarlett Thomas

#religion #scepticism #sceptics #skepticism #skeptics

I'm always the last person they go to with a sequel, because I'm the most skeptical. You know, I'm very proud of what we've done, and I don't want to screw up our series. ↗

— Sigourney Weaver

#because #done #go #i #know

Scientists tend to be skeptical, but the weakness of the community of science is that it tends to move into preformed establishment modes that say this is the only way of doing science, the only valid view. ↗

— Walter Gilbert

#doing #establishment #into #modes #move