questioning assumptions
Challenging underlying beliefs
Questioning assumptions means examining the beliefs or premises that underlie a position, argument, or practice—especially those taken for granted.
It's a core habit in critical thinking and philosophy: The professor encouraged questioning assumptions about free will.
Rather than accepting inherited frameworks, questioning assumptions asks whether the foundation itself is sound.
- skepticalInclined to question claims
- challengingHard to accomplish
- doubtLack of firm belief
- critical thinkingObjective evaluation of information
- probingThoroughly investigating something
inquiry · says who · curiosity · why · scrutiny · interrogating · rethinking · devil's advocate · pushback · unlearning · taken for granted · status quo · blind spots · disbelief · second-guessing · burden of proof · conventional wisdom · think outside the box
questioning assumptionsblind faith
Trust without requiring proof
credulity · gullibility · taking for granted · naivety · buying into
questioning assumptionsconformity
Adherence to norms
groupthink · going along with · orthodoxy · toeing the line · falling in line
questioning assumptionsdogmatism
Unyielding adherence to doctrine
closed-mindedness · certainty · rigidity · stubbornness · inflexibility
question, questioning, questioned, questioner, questioners, questionable, unquestionable, questionably, unquestionably