What is the purpose of a skeptic?

Question

What are your thoughts?

Please elaborate and give examples.

Answer 1

The purpose of the skeptic is to introduce doubt in a given statement or story, or deny a belief or truth.

Answer 2

Skeptics will drive you closer or further from what you believe. For example, my little brother watched the movie "Loose Change", which says the government was behind the 9/11 attacks. My first thought was "what a load of crap," but I am having to research it to confirm if it really is crap, or if it for real. By the time all is said and done, I will know for sure what I believe about it, not just what I've been told.

Answer 3

a skeptic can serve the purpose of keeping philosophy moving forward, since they always argue against many things, more proofs usually need to be found. radical skeptics can disbelieve everything, reality in the world, their own bodies. their really isnt a purpose to a skeptic, the skeptic developed from the rationalists, it just slowly evolved that what some thought they knew they simply didnt

Answer 4

Skepticism, from all perspectives, especially your own, is a necessary evil. It is the whip that heralds illumination, the call of mystery to a seeker. Once the mind's ego begins it repetitive routines of judgment, analysis, and categorizing; the battle for truth (albeit, the ego's sense of truth) has begun and fight for survival is the prime concern. Thus, the universe (essentially you) can experience itself through contradiction and possibility; the constant yin/yang of duality. Skeptics vs. Entrepreneurs = Mind vs Mind

Answer 5

We have an phrase in my religion philosophy:
Skeptic is the basis of Sure.

when think about a something in your belief and find some weakness in this or some problem with logic, it forces you to think more or trying to find a way to solve the problem or answer for you question, in makes your faith stronger and you can defend your belief against others

Answer 6

A very wise man (tell me if you know who I am talking about & you get like 1000000 points) once said " First Doubt every statement." I feel that this ensures you look into wot u are trying to believe in.

Answer 7

Much of what has already been said - I agree.

Also - Sceptics are also needed to guard against 'group think'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_think

It is group think that led to the Bay of Pigs fiasco and others

Answer 8

being skeptical_me, i choose to disregard what people may think to be correct socially or politically. i'm free thinking, and i hope that my thinking/thoughts encourages you or challenges you to agree/ disagree despite the norm.

;)