The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake

by Steven Novella

we can slowly and carefully build a process by which to evaluate all claims to truth and knowledge. A big part of that process is science, which systematically tests our ideas against reality, using the most objective data possible. Science is still a messy and flawed process, but it is a process. It has, at least, the capacity for self-correction, to move our beliefs incrementally in the direction of reality. In essence, science is the process of making our best effort to know what’s really real. Combined with science are logic and philosophy, which are simply ways of thinking about things really carefully, to at least make sure there is no internal contradiction. Valid reasoning, careful and systematic observations, recording and counting all data (not just the data we want), and trying to disprove our own conclusions is a lot of work, but it moves us forward on our journey. Skeptics combine knowledge of science, philosophy, human psychology, and all the flaws and biases of human thinking to evaluate all claims and beliefs, especially their own.