Skeptical

Goals

1. Describe what it means to be skeptical.
2. Develop the habit of skepticism.

What?

Skepticism is the habit of checking whether conclusions, beliefs, or facts are supported by strong evidence and reasoning—and only accepting them when this support is sufficient.

Examples

1. A person who believes they are “nice to others” checks to see whether this belief is justified by evidence and reasoning.

2. A person who reads about a new investment scheme examines whether it’s worthwhile using logic and evidence before accepting or acting on it.

Why?

• Make better decisions by believing only what is well-supported.
• Avoid accepting false claims.
• Avoid communicating misinformation to others.
• Protect yourself from manipulation, scams, and propaganda.
• Maintain and improve an accurate view of reality over time.
• Be humble: Acknowledge your limitations and strengths without arrogance, stay open to learning, and value others without thinking you are better than them.

Excellence in Skepticism

Principles

1. A proposition is a statement that has a truth value—it can be true or false.
2. In classical logic, propositions are either true or false. Other logics exist for more complex or uncertain cases.
3. Absolute truth is rare. Often, we must assess how probable a proposition is.
4. Skepticism can be applied to others’ claims or your own. Self-skepticism is far more important and impactful.

Framework (How To)

Form the following habit, where a habit is an automatic behavior triggered by a specific cue.

Trigger

You encounter or consider a proposition—a statement that can be true or false.

Action: Apply Critical Thinking (CT) to the proposition

Use these steps to assess whether the proposition is likely true. Repeat and refine as needed based on the importance of the issue.

1. Issue – Ask: Is this proposition true or false?
2. Research – Gather high-quality, relevant information.
3. Reasoning – Weigh evidence for and against the claim using sound logic.
4. Argument – State your current conclusion and justify it with your reasoning.
5. Repetition – Repeat and refine the above until the argument meets the quality needed for your context.

Rewards

Over time, discover and focus on the personal benefits of skepticism, such as clarity, confidence, and better outcomes.

Tips

1. Apply skepticism in ways that give you consistently high payoffs.
2. Use heuristics skillfully. Example: A well-reviewed college textbook likely contains true propositions.
3. Avoid common traps such as cynicism, confirmation bias, misinformation, and logical fallacies.
4. Avoid arrogance. Being skeptical does not mean being superior—it means being careful and honest in pursuit of truth.