A skeptical attitude? Sure. Being from Missouri and needing rational explanations before buying into things? Sure.
But the professional skeptics, CSICOP, The Skeptical Inquirer, Skeptic Magazine et. al., that's something else again.
Claiming the expertise to debunk every new idea that ever comes down the road amounts to the same thing, more or less, as claiming omniscience. In real life, nobody has time in life for that. The typical guy who comes up with an off the wall idea has, more often than not, put a great deal of time and effort into whatever it is. The professional skeptic won't have time in life to put as much time into analyzing all such new ideas.
Several of Wade Frazier's takes on this sort of topic are worth reading. Typical example:
http://www.ahealedplanet.net/dennis.htm#friends
But the professional skeptics, CSICOP, The Skeptical Inquirer, Skeptic Magazine et. al., that's something else again.
Claiming the expertise to debunk every new idea that ever comes down the road amounts to the same thing, more or less, as claiming omniscience. In real life, nobody has time in life for that. The typical guy who comes up with an off the wall idea has, more often than not, put a great deal of time and effort into whatever it is. The professional skeptic won't have time in life to put as much time into analyzing all such new ideas.
Several of Wade Frazier's takes on this sort of topic are worth reading. Typical example:
http://www.ahealedplanet.net/dennis.htm#friends
via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=266335&goto=newpost
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