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From: rant@moncam.co.uk (Angry of Mayfair)
Newsgroups: news.groups,news.misc,sci.misc,talk.religion.newage,talk.philosophy.misc
Subject: Re: *** CALL FOR DISCUSSION *** Creation of newsgroup sci.skeptic
Summary: SKEPSIS != [DIS]BELIEF.
Keywords: LET'S GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME, EH??????
Message-ID: <207@marvin.moncam.co.uk>
Date: 20 Jun 89 12:02:55 GMT
Organization: Monotype ADG, Cambridge, UK
Lines: 27

> Sorry, but a group on skepticism inherently implies bashing,
> including SKEPTIC-BASHING.  This isn't all bad; some things deserve
> to be bashed, though anyone skeptic-bashing in talk.religion.skeptic
> should know what they're in for.  Skepticism is inherently negative
> (which is fine, btw); unlike religions making positive assertions,
> those of you who defend the null hypothesis can't really object to
> those who are vehemently skeptic about skepticism.

It's getting a bit boring, seeing the same old carp written about
skepsis, over and over again.  At worst, bashing should be incidental;
the argument should simply be given a different direction, with
**** NO **** judgement for or against an idea.  That is the purpose
of skepsis - enquiry.  I know we're only human, but do you think we
could get this one right FROM THE START????? We've already had one
complete cockup going in the direction of BELIEF with mail.skeptics
(this all belongs to talk.religion.newage, which seems sadly underused
unless I'm not getting it all), so PLEASE let's not go the other way.
We can all pan things, sometimes with great emotion and skill, but
if we do that here, we'll lose sight of the original idea, which is
pure and simple unprejudiced enquiry.

BTW, skepsis is NOT inherently negative; it is NEUTRAL, and it would
NOT be fine if it were negative.

There are ALWAYS three aspects of `polarity' - positive, negative and
neutral.  Belief and disbelief are NOTHING to do with enquiry, so
do us all a favour and LEAVE IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!