sceptics
Those who disbelieve
Sceptics are people who doubt or question accepted beliefs, claims, or assertions.
The term applies both to those who maintain a questioning attitude generally and to those who doubt specific things: climate sceptics, vaccine sceptics.
In philosophy, sceptics hold that certain knowledge is impossible.
Sceptics demanded more evidence before accepting the findings.
This is the British spelling; Americans write skeptics.
People who question claims
- disbelieversThose who reject claims
- questionersPeople who pose queries
- cynicsDoubters of sincerity
- naysayersThose who dismiss ideas
critics · challengers · contrarians · debunkers · deniers · dissenters · agnostics · pessimists
Knowledge through observation
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- atheismRejection of deities
- agnosticismDoubt about divine existence
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
materialism · positivism · naturalism · nihilism · humanism · freethought · irreligion · realism
Absence of confidence
- incredulityInability to accept something
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- mistrustLack of faith
- warinessCautious distrust
disbelief · cynicism · reservation · uncertainty · hesitancy · caution · doubtfulness · misgiving
Seeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- analysisMethodical study of parts
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
inquiry · critique · evaluation · probing · interrogation · research · verification · fact-checking
doubters
People who question claims
- disbelieversThose who reject claims
- questionersPeople who pose queries
- cynicsDoubters of sincerity
naysayers · critics · challengers · contrarians · debunkers · deniers · dissenters · agnostics · pessimists · nonbelievers
empiricism
Knowledge through observation
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- atheismRejection of deities
- agnosticismDoubt about divine existence
secularism · materialism · positivism · naturalism · nihilism · humanism · freethought · irreligion · realism · pragmatism
distrust
Absence of confidence
- incredulityInability to accept something
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- mistrustLack of faith
wariness · disbelief · cynicism · reservation · uncertainty · hesitancy · caution · doubtfulness · misgiving · qualm
questioning
Seeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- analysisMethodical study of parts
examination · inquiry · critique · evaluation · probing · interrogation · research · verification · fact-checking · debunking
scepticsbelievers
Those having faith
true believers · dupes · suckers · marks · accepters
scepticsbelievers
Those having faith
devout · true believers · devotees · adherents · zealots
scepticsdogmatists
Believers in fixed principles
true believers · absolutists · fundamentalists · ideologues · doctrinaires
- climate scepticDoubts mainstream environmental science