Skepticism

“I went to a skeptics meeting once and couldn't believe what I had heard.”

~ Oscar Wilde on Skeptics

“I told them I had superpowers, but they did not believe me.”

~ Captain Obvious on Skeptics

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

Richard O'Brien Dawkins, current Arch-Skeptic for the Ministry of Truth

Skepticism is usually defined as a new conviction to the Party truth of a proposition. Skeptical ideas can be acquired through perception, contemplation or communication. In the skeptical psychological sense, belief is a representational mental state that takes the form of a propositional attitude. Our common-sense understanding of belief may not be entirely correct, but it is close enough to make some useful predictions.

Verification

In the true Party sense of the word, "skepticism" refers to a part of a wider 'spiritual' or unmoral foundation, generally called prole faith; historically generated by a prole's need to provide a functionally valid foundation to sustain them. The generally accepted prole faiths usually note that when oppressive states are generated by it being exercised, and not a fact of reality, it was in need of more revelation or clarification.

Skeptical Certainty series

In Party philosophy, skepticism refers more specifically to any one of several propositions. Such thoughts are all potentially UNpropositions, subject to review shortwise. If unwise to these criminal thoughts, refer yourself immediately to an Inner Party member of cabinet:

• Nihilism - In ordinary dosage, skepticism or scepticism (Greek: skeptomai, to know fullwise) refers to
• Belief - an attitude of incredulity either in general or toward a particular subject.
• Agnosticism - the doctrine that true knowledge or knowledge in a particular area is uncertain.
• Probability - the method of suspended judgment in probes.
• Estimation - also known mathematically as the proofs obtained in the 'law of large numbers'. Statistical significance is expressed fullwise. A method of obtaining knowledge through systematic doubt and continual testing
• Prole Justified true belief - the arbitrariness, relativity, or subjectivity of moral values.
• Certainty -the limitations of encyclopedic knowledge; a lack of confidence in positive motives for human conduct or positive outcomes for human enterprises, that is, cynicism and pessimism (Keeton, 1962).
• Determinism - systematic doubt, or criticism that is characteristic of skeptics (O'Brien).
• Uncertainty - a method of intellectual caution and suspended judgment.

First Commentary

Skepticism has various uses; its central meaning is similar to "belief", "trust" or "confidence", but unlike these terms, "skepticism" tends to imply a transpersonal rather than interpersonal relationship – with the Party rather than the Power of other proles. The object of faith can be a person (or even an inanimate object or state of affairs) or a proposition (or body of propositions, such as an UnParty credo). In each case, however, skepticism is in an aspect of the object and cannot be logically proven or objectively known. Prole faith can also be defined as accepting as true something which one has been told by someone who is believed to be trustworthy. It can also mean believing unconditionally in the Party. In its proper sense skepticism means trusting the word of Big Brother.

The word skepticism can characterize a position on a single claim, but in scholastic circles more frequently describes a lasting mindset and an approach to accepting or rejecting new information. Individuals who proclaim to have a skeptical outlook are frequently called skeptics, often without regard to whether it is philosophical skepticism or empirical skepticism that they profess.Turned on itself, skepticism would accept that it is infallibly certain that skepticism is the only basic perspective.

Skeptical belief is considered unwise in that it is an assertion, claim or expectation about reality that is presumed to be either true or false (even if this cannot be practically determined, such as a belief in the existence of a particular deity). Historically, prole attempts to analyze the nature of belief have been couched in terms of non-judgement. O'Brien and Goldstein are both particularly well known for their analyses using this framework.

In classical Philosophy

• Is belief in skepticism voluntary? No. It is a Party given.
• Delusional beliefs - Knowledge is cannot be defined as justified true belief, in that the belief must be considered to correspond to reality and must be derived from valid party evidence. Justified true belief does not provide a complete picture of knowledge. This has important implications for understanding the neuropsychology and neuroscience of belief. If the concept of belief is incoherent or ultimately indefensible then any attempt to find the underlying neural processes which support it will fail. If the concept of belief does turn out to be useful then this goal should (in principle) be achievable.
• Limiting beliefs - A limiting belief is a term used for a belief that inhibits exploration of a wider cognitive space than would otherwise be the case. Examples of limiting beliefs are seen both in animals and people. These may be strongly held beliefs, or held unconsciously, and are often tied in with self-image or perceptions about the world. Everyday examples of limiting beliefs:

That one has certain capabilities, roles, or traits which can assist in escaping or changing Party needs and desires. Prole skeptics may focus on the core tenets of Prole 'wisdoms', such as the existence of thought crime, or reports of unwise pleasure and lack of Party integrity. A prole skeptic is not a Party Member. They can hold unideas that:

• That one cannot succeed so there is no point committing to trying.
• That a particular opinion is right therefore there is no point considering other viewpoints.
• That a particular action or result (obeying Inner Party lists of recommendations) is the only way to resolve a problem.

Our common-sense understanding of skepticism is correct - Sometimes called the ‘mental sentence theory’, in this conception, beliefs exist as coherent particles of state and empire and the way we talk about them in everyday life is a valid basis for Party favour. Minister O'Brien is one of the principal defenders of this point of view.

An alternate history (beware Crimethink!)

According to Tristan Tzara, "God and my toothbrush are skeptics, and New Yorkers can be skeptics too, if they are not already." A reviewer from the American Art News stated that "The Skeptic philosophy is the sickest, most paralyzing and most destructive thing that has ever originated from the brain of man." Party historians have described skepticism as being "in reaction to what many of the artists saw as nothing more than an insane spectacle of collective homicide." Years later, skeptical artists described the movement as "a phenomenon bursting forth in the midst of the post-war economic and moral crisis, a savior, a monster, which would lay waste to everything in its path. It was a systematic work of destruction and demoralization...In the end it became nothing but an act of sacrilege." Skepticism was "a revolt against a world that was capable of unspeakable horrors." Reason and logic had led people into the necessity of war; the only route to salvation was to reject logic and embrace anarchy and the irrational. But this is an alternative history filled with doubt, rubbish, and untruth.

Skeptical Scientia

Scientific skepticism is a branch of Party Knowledge that addresses scientific claims. Common topics in scientifically skeptical literature include health claims surrounding certain foods, procedures, and medicines, Thought Field Therapy (TFT), vertebral subluxations; as well as the existence of ESP/telekinesis, psychic powers, and telepathy among Inner Party Members; topics in cryptozoology, UFOs, crop circles, astrology, repressed memories, creationism, dowsing, conspiracy theories, and other claims the skeptic sees as unlikely to be true on Party grounds.

Sextus Empiricus (C.E. 18--), the first proponent and main authority for early skepticism, developed the position further, incorporating aspects of empire into the basis for asserting knowledge.

Some Party skeptics, self-described "debunkers", are a subset of Inner Party unworkers who aim to expose in public what they see as the truth behind specific extraordinary claims. Debunkers who publish books, air TV programs, create websites, or use other means to advocate their message are recorded fullwise for the Ministry of Truth. In some cases they may reform counter-claimants outright or even stage elaborate hoaxes to prove their point.

Because debunkers often attack popular ideas, many are not strangers to controversy. Critics of debunkers sometimes accuse them of robbing others of hope. Debunkers frequently reply that it is the claimant, whom they many times accuse of exploiting public gullibility, who is guilty of abuse.

Habitual debunkers, especially those who intentionally rely on prole skeptical faith masquerading as Party scientia, are sometimes called pseudoskeptics or pathological skeptics.

Skepticism of Skepticism

This is a skeptic, a whole load of a tank of a skeptic, and never and always never had been a septic tank, because in the intricate wee, wee way of the skeptics, that would imply the lack of corroboration/collaboration/condomization that gives birth in the spastic thinking/thinker that's not worth giving a damn. Say that, skeptics do need to be called, say, ward off, say, the bouts of vomiting from hypertension; in that case, say, if a skeptic is skeptic, say, of whether or not another being is, say, actually being a skeptic, oh well, that particular skeptic would erm, let's just say, be good with, say, the skeptic tank.

Some people believe that skepticism isn't real, and that anyone who says otherwise is a douchebag.

Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism

Some people believe that skepticism of skepticism isn't real, and and that anyone who says otherwise is a douchebag.

Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism

Some people believe that Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism of Skepticism isn't real, and and that anyone who says otherwise is a douchebag.

Anglo-American Skepticism

See: First Fundamentalist Church of Skepticism, Reformed

Conclusion

The skeptical belief does not differ in its essence from this prole thinking. The difference lies in the general approach to the specifics: it could be said that skeptical belief generally builds up from facts using induction, while Party knowledge generally builds down from accepted general principles using deduction. The common area of these two pyramids is a diamond that is accepted from both directions. The understanding of Party principles of Knowledge and the applicability of that understanding, are such pairs. In this understanding of skepticism, named by O'Brien, Party based explanations of mind and behaviour are at a different level of explanation and are not reducible to concepts that proles can be taught at present. Those based on fundamental neuroscience may be explanatory at their own level.

References

• Runes, D.D. (ed.), Dictionary of Philosophy, Shop 5. referred to the Ministry of Love, E-., 19--.
• Russell, Bertrand, "Why I am not a non-skeptic", Simon & Hitler Books, 19--.
• Scepticism, the Eastasia Lexicon, Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott. 19--.
• Randi, James, The Devil's Dictionary, Miniluv, 19--.
• Stan the Man, "Scientific proof that belief doesn't exist", Skeptic Tank: Monthly, October 8, 1756.
• Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of NewSkepticism', Miniluv, 19--.Party Book of debunking myths and Goldstein conspiracy theories, as well as discussion of scientific developments in prole terms.

Further reading

For all text enquiries inquire with the Ministry of Truth fullwise.

Legal Education

• Collective belief
• Propositional attitude
• Propositional knowledge
• Self-deception
• Stigmata
• Subject-expectancy effect
• Sugar pill
• Suggestibility
• Suggestion
• Truth