by Massimo Pigliucci In this video Dan and I talk about different types of "skepticism." We start by recapping the history of philosophical skepticism, moving on to the (by now) classical question: how do we know that we don't live in the Matrix? We tackle what we call Descartes' "quaint" rationalism and we talk about a … Continue reading The varieties of skepticism
skepticism
Removing the Rubbish: Consensus, Causation, and Denial
By Lawrence Torcello In the 17th century the philosopher John Locke, writing in admiration of the great scientific thinkers of his time, remarked that he found it “ambition enough to be employed as an under-laborer in clearing ground a little, and removing some of the rubbish, that lies in the way to knowledge.” Locke was … Continue reading Removing the Rubbish: Consensus, Causation, and Denial
Are you sure you have hands?
by Massimo Pigliucci Skepticism is a venerable word with a panoply of meanings. When I refer to myself as “a skeptic,” I mean someone inspired by David Hume’s famous dictum: “In our reasonings concerning matter of fact, there are all imaginable degrees of assurance, from the highest certainty to the lowest species of moral evidence. … Continue reading Are you sure you have hands?
Scientia Salon 
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