There's A Fine Line Between Skepticism and Science Denial. Know the Difference.

Science has a problem. And that problem is science deniers.

One of the looming, dark spots in the sciences was recently brought to light by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), an organization that was founded in 1976 by Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov (among others). The goals of this organization are quite simple. The CSI asserts, “The mission of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry is to promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims.” In essence, they aim to promote healthy skepticism.

The problem? Too many people aren’t skeptical; they are biased and wrong, and they claim that they are “just being skeptical.” Even worse, a number of news sites and science organizations (for one reason or another) refers to science deniers as “skeptics.”

Skepticism is essentially a quest for evidence and proof. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “skeptic” comes from the Latin “scepticus,” which meant “inquiring” and “reflective.” Its original application, by the Greek philosopher Pyrrho, basically encouraged individuals to question their own assumptions because (obviously) our perspectives and assumptions are often biased and one-sided. It’s not that we can’t ever be certain about anything; it’s that this certainty needs to be based on research and evidence; it needs to have its foundation in a conversation that extends beyond our own inner thoughts.

In short, our perceptions are biased and skewed—they are subjective. So is our interpretation of data. Consequently, we shouldn’t reject or accept anything out of hand. Rather, we should ask for evidence in all things. We should be inquisitive; we should be reflective; we should be skeptical.

This is not what most people are when they talk about many scientific issues, such as the vaccine/autism link, climate change, and GMOs. Of course, not everyone who questions climate science or the effects of GMOs are deniers. But unfortunately, this is where many deniers seem to setup camp
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There's A Fine Line Between Skepticism and Science Denial. Know the Difference.