Scepticism Comes Alive

Scepticism Comes Alive
Author: Bryan Frances
Publisher: Oxford University Press on Demand
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2005-06-16
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0199282137

In epistemology the nagging voice of the sceptic has always been present. Over the last thirty years or so philosophers have thought of several promising ways to counter the radical sceptic: for instance, facts about the reliability of our cognitive processes, principles determining which possibilities must be ruled out in order to have knowledge, and principles regarding the context-sensitivity of knowledge attributions. In this entertaining and provocative book, Bryan Frances presents a new argument template for generating new kinds of radical scepticism, ones that hold even if all the clever anti-sceptical fixes defeat the traditional sceptic. Not only is the argument schema novel, but the sceptical consequences are entirely unexpected. Although the new sceptic concludes that we don't know that fire engines are red, that we sometimes have pains in our knees, or even that we believe that fire engines are red or that knees sometimes throb, he admits that we know millions of exotic truths such as the fact that black holes exist. You can know about the existence of black holes, but not about the colour of your shirt or even about what you believe regarding the colour of your shirt. The new sceptical arguments proceed in the usual way (here's a sceptical hypothesis; you can't neutralize it, you have to be able to neutralize it to know P; so you don't know P), but the sceptical hypotheses plugged into it are 'real live' scientific-philosophical hypotheses often thought to be actually true, such as error theories about belief, colour, pain location, and character traits. Frances investigates the questions, 'Under what conditions do we need to rule out these error theories in order to know things inconsistent with them?' and 'Can we rule them out?' Particular attention is paid to recent methods used to counter the traditional sceptic. Sharp, witty, and fun to read, Scepticism Comes Alive will be highly provocative for anyone interested in knowledge and its limits.

Toxic Positivity

Toxic Positivity
Author: Whitney Goodman
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2024-04-02
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 0593542754

A powerful guide to owning our emotions—even the difficult ones—in order to show up authentically in the world, from the popular therapist behind the Instagram account @sitwithwhit. Every day, we’re bombarded with pressure to be positive. From “good vibes only” and “life is good” memes, to endless reminders to “look on the bright side,” we’re constantly told that the key to happiness is silencing negativity wherever it crops up—in ourselves and in others. Even when faced with illness, loss, breakups, and other challenges, there’s little space for talking about our real feelings—and processing them so that we can feel better and move forward. But if non-stop positivity is the answer, why are so many of us anxious, depressed, and burned out? In this refreshingly honest guide, sought-after therapist Whitney Goodman shares the latest research along with everyday examples and client stories that reveal how damaging toxic positivity is to ourselves and our relationships, and presents simple ways to experience and work through difficult emotions. The result is more authenticity, connection, and growth—and ultimately, a path to showing up as you truly are.

Scepticism and Animal Faith

Scepticism and Animal Faith
Author: George Santayana
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 344
Release: 1955-01-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9780486202365

In this work, Santayana analyzes the nature of the knowing process and demonstrates by means of clear, powerful arguments how we know and what validates our knowledge. The central concept of his philosophy is found in a careful discrimination between the awareness of objects independent of our perception and the awareness of essences attributed to objects by our mind, or between what Santayana calls the realm of existents and the realm of subsistents. Since we can never be certain that these attributes actually inhere in a substratum of existents, skepticism is established as a form of belief, but animal faith is shown to be a necessary quality of the human mind. Without this faith there could be no rational approach to the necessary problem of understanding and surviving in this world. Santayana derives this practical philosophy from a wide and fascinating variety of sources. He considers critically the positions of such philosophers as Descartes, Euclid, Hume, Kant, Parmenides, Plato, Pythagoras, Schopenhauer, and the Buddhist school as well as the assumptions made by the ordinary man in everyday situations. Such matters as the nature of belief, the rejection of classical idealism, the nature of intuition and memory, symbols and myth, mathematical reality, literary psychology, the discovery of essence, sublimation of animal faith, the implied being of truth, and many others are given detailed analyses in individual chapters.

The Mystery of Skepticism

The Mystery of Skepticism
Author: Kevin McCain
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2018-12-24
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9004393536

The thirteen newly commissioned essays in The Mystery of Skepticism: New Explorations represent the cutting-edge of research on underexplored skeptical challenges, dimensions of the skeptical problematic, and responses to various kinds of skepticism.

Scepticism

Scepticism
Author: Duncan Pritchard
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 137
Release: 2019-09-26
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0198829167

Throughout history scepticism and the urge to question accepted truths has been a powerful force for change and growth. Today, as we are bombarded by adverts, scientific studies praising the latest superfoods, and political rhetoric, a healthy amount of scepticism is widely encouraged. But when is such scepticism legitimate - for example, as a driver of new ideas - and when is it problematic? And what role might adopting a sceptical outlook play in leading an intellectually virtuous life? In this Very Short Introduction Duncan Pritchard explores both the advantages of scepticism, in challenging outdated notions, and also how it can have unhelpful social consequences, in generating distrust. He considers the role of scepticism at the source of contemporary social and political movements such as climate change denial, post-truth politics, and fake news. Pritchard also examines the philosophical arguments for a radical form of scepticism which maintains that knowledge is impossible, and explores some of the main responses to these arguments. Finally, he considers the part scepticism might play in applying better thinking and learning to achieve a more meaningful life. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Knowledge

Knowledge
Author: Jennifer Nagel
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2014
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 019966126X

What is knowledge? Is it the same as opinion or truth? Do you need to be able to justify a claim in order to count as knowing it? How can we know that the outer world is real and not a dream? Questions like these have existed since ancient times, and the branch of philosophy dedicated to answering them - epistemology - has been active for thousands of years. In this thought-provoking Very Short Introduction, Jennifer Nagel considers the central problems and paradoxes in the theory of knowledge and draws attention to the ways in which philosophers and theorists have responded to them. By exploring the relationship between knowledge and truth, and considering the problem of scepticism, Nagel introduces a series of influential historical and contemporary theories of knowledge, incorporating methods from logic, linguistics, and psychology, using a number of everyday examples to demonstrate the key issues and debates. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Scepticism and Animal Faith

Scepticism and Animal Faith
Author: George Santayana
Publisher:
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2019-07-25
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9781684223725

2019 Reprint of 1923 Edition. Scepticism and Animal Faith marks an important departure from his Santayana's philosophy and serves as "a critical introduction" to and résumé of his new system developed in the four-volume Realms of Being (1928, 1930, 1937, 1940), an ontological (nature of being) treatise of great concentration and finish. In these later works Santayana enhanced his stature as a philosopher by achieving greater theoretical precision, depth, and coherence. Scepticism and Animal Faith conveys better than any other volume the essential import of his philosophy. It formulates his theory of immediately apprehended essences and describes the role played by "animal faith" in various forms of knowledge. Contents There is no first principle of criticism -- Dogma and doubt -- Wayward scepticism -- Doubts about self-consciousness -- Doubts about change -- Ultimate scepticism -- Nothing given exists -- Some authorities for this conclusion -- The discovery of essence -- Some uses of this discovery -- The watershed of criticism -- Identity and duration attributed to essences -- Belief in demonstration -- Essence and intuition -- Belief in experience -- Belief in the self -- The cognitive claims of memory -- Knowledge is faith mediated by symbols -- Belief in substance -- On some objections to belief in substance -- Sublimations of animal faith -- Belief in nature -- Evidences of animation in nature -- Literary psychology -- The implied being of truth -- Discernment of spirit -- Comparison with other criticisms of knowledge.

Scepticism and Animal Faith

Scepticism and Animal Faith
Author: Professor George Santayana
Publisher: Scholar's Choice
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2015-02-20
Genre:
ISBN: 9781298458261

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Universal Skepticism

Universal Skepticism
Author: Kevin Henley
Publisher:
Total Pages: 152
Release: 2004-02-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9781413431087

This is a second book for unrepentant skeptics, written as a sequel to Taking the Lying out of Living: the Skeptic's Manifesto, published back in 2001. Although that earlier work was an excellent introduction to the principles of universal skepticism, I feel that if left out a number of important observations. Without repeating any of the points made in my previous effort, in this book I want to broaden and to deepen my investigation into what keeps most human beings from leading more satisfactory lives. To that end, I have included a lot of new information about the toxicity of leadership in all the different walks of life, as well as new examples of how the different belief systems have been used to deprive almost everyone from realizing life's most important ambitions. Once again, I have used history, current events and my own experience to find appropriate but often ironic, even humorous, illustrations of organized frailty and egoism. Universal skepticism is the best method available for us to reject all the different kinds of parochialism religion, political ideologies including patriotism, and social discrimination of all kinds that prevent us from becoming genuinely free for the first time. Even though I realize how difficult it is to bring about, I would like this book to help readers work their way past the partial allegiances that afflict us all. Our goal should be to let nothing intermediate get in between our own individuality and our participation in the universal human experience, such as it is today.

The New Skepticism

The New Skepticism
Author: Paul Kurtz
Publisher:
Total Pages: 380
Release: 1992
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN:

Kurtz argues that there are objective standards for judging truth claims in science, ethics, and philosophy. Of special interest is the application of the new skepticism to paranormal claims such as reincarnation and faith healing, and to religious beliefs, ethics and politics.