Various branches of philosophy, which were extremely popular even before our era, were replete with all kinds of terms that have survived to this day. Skepticism as a philosophical trend originated in the IV-III centuries. BC. The founder is considered to be the Greek artist Pyrrho. The main principle of this trend in philosophy is doubt as the principle of all thinking, especially doubt about the reliability of truth. Today, in the ordinary sense, a skeptic is a person who doubts everything and treats with distrust.
History of skepticism as a way of thinking
Having originated in ancient Greece, skepticism began to gradually fade away in the Middle Ages and revived again in the philosophy of modern times.
Philosophers - skeptics criticized other philosophical views, however, the basis for this criticism was their personal judgments, which in turn cannot be absolutely objective. It is impossible not to notice that it was the skeptics who played an important role in the development of history, becoming the forefathers of materialism fashionable today.
It is not surprising that in the Middle Ages, when religious doctrine was based on dogmas that could not be questioned and tried to challenge, skepticism was temporarily forgotten.
Today skepticism has become a demeanor, not a philosophy. The skeptic questions and criticizes any judgment without convincing (in his opinion) evidence. Most of these people are materialists.
The Skeptic Enemy of Progress?
Who is a skeptic today? He is a bureaucrat and chican, who will find fault with any controversial document, but at the same time, he is a talented lawyer who will not miss a single detail. This is an editor who will not miss any controversial material until he is sure of its accuracy. These people hinder progress, but oddly enough, they contribute to it.
What would happen to the world if it were inhabited by exclusively creative, sublime natures, dreamers incapable of criticism and self-criticism? Skeptics undoubtedly hinder the development and implementation of innovative technologies in life, but they increase their level of reliability.
It is no secret that many medical professionals are skeptics. There is no point in speculating and reflecting on the nature of the onset of the disease, it should be properly treated. Most often, skeptics are disliked in a team. If he is a boss, then he requires subordinates to clearly fulfill their duties, if he is an executor, then he always tries to get to the bottom of things.
The skeptic is a rationalist who recognizes the primary meaning of reason, and the main task of reason is to prove, and the proof is based on truths, the truth of which cannot be proved, which is contrary to the requirements of reason. It turns out to be a kind of vicious circle, and many authors have worked to expose skepticism. Indeed, many will find it boring to live with one mind. It is human nature to believe in a miracle.
Many things that seemed fantastic a few decades ago have become part of our everyday life. It turns out that it was the skeptics who sentenced Giordano Bruno to death at the stake.