AIPT Science isn’t just the physics of Superman – we love the methods of science, too. What does that mean, in practice? We like to apply the principles of skepticism to the entertainment and pop culture we love, to try our best to figure out what’s really going on. Sharon Hill, writer on all topics weird, has outlined a description of what “skepticism” is and how to use it, and we present a version of that here.
Skepticism is an approach to evaluating claims that emphasizes evidence and applies the tools of science. It’s most often applied to extraordinary claims which refute the current consensus view. The skeptical process considers evidence obtained by systematic observations and reason.
The conclusion reached at the end of this process is provisional, since additional or better evidence may come along that points toward a more suitable explanation.
The more extraordinary the claim, the stronger the evidence must be to support it. If a claim is made that would require us to revise or overturn well-established knowledge, we should be very suspicious and ask for a greater degree of evidence.
Skepticism values the contributions of science, but also those of logic and math that lead toward the best explanation. Skepticism can be applied to subjects as varied as history, art, and literature, by using critical thinking and respect for evidence.
AIPT Science is co-presented by AIPT and the New York City Skeptics.
