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

by Steven Novella

We are scientific skeptics because we start with doubt, but we then carefully try to separate what we can and do know from fantasy, wishful thinking, bias, and tradition.

mind. I identify with a skeptical and critical process of approaching claims, of letting the facts be supreme, of being honest, fair, and transparent. That is my identity, not any particular belief or conclusion.

to keep humble, patient, and focused on educating rather than just winning an argument.

You don’t have to call someone a child. Just model being an adult and let the contrast stand.

Show your kids how to question what they see. This is the very beginning of their baloney detector. Essentially, model the good thinking practices you’re trying to teach. If they ask a question, don’t just give them an authoritative answer, no matter how simple the question. I would give them positive feedback for asking and

It’s okay to question anything; knowledge is not absolute but is a process of discovery; there is no absolute authority, as any claim is only as good as the evidence that supports it.