skeptic
One who doubts
A skeptic doubts claims that others accept readily.
The word often appears in contexts where evidence is disputed: climate skeptic, vaccine skeptic.
More broadly, a skeptic maintains a questioning attitude toward received wisdom or popular belief.
Skeptical and skepticism are the adjective and noun forms.
British spelling: sceptic.
One who poses inquiries
- disbelieverOne who denies truth
- cynicDoubter of good intentions
- naysayerHabitual dissenter
- challengerOne competing against incumbent
dissenter · debunker · scoffer · contrarian · agnostic · freethinker · pessimist · disputer
Lack of firm belief
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- incredulityInability to accept something
- distrustAbsence of confidence
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
misgiving · wariness · reservation · qualm · hesitation · dubiety · mistrust · apprehension
Facts supporting truth
- proofDemonstration of truth
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- reasonBasis or justification
- empiricalBased on observation, not theory
scientific · analysis · deduction · objectivity · verification · falsifiability · methodology · rigor
Seeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
- probingThoroughly investigating something
research · fact-checking · verification · cross-examination · vetting · interrogation · analysis · evaluation
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- solipsismOnly self surely exists
- CartesianOf x-y coordinate geometry
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
agnosticism · atheism · materialism · rationalism · secularism · freethought · humanism · naturalism
questioner
One who poses inquiries
- disbelieverOne who denies truth
- cynicDoubter of good intentions
- naysayerHabitual dissenter
challenger · dissenter · debunker · scoffer · contrarian · agnostic · freethinker · pessimist · disputer · detractor
doubt
Lack of firm belief
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- incredulityInability to accept something
- distrustAbsence of confidence
uncertainty · misgiving · wariness · reservation · qualm · hesitation · dubiety · mistrust · apprehension · unease
evidence
Facts supporting truth
empirical · scientific · analysis · deduction · objectivity · verification · falsifiability · methodology · rigor · validity
questioning
Seeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
probing · research · fact-checking · verification · cross-examination · vetting · interrogation · analysis · evaluation · inquiry
Hume
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- solipsismOnly self surely exists
- CartesianOf x-y coordinate geometry
empiricism · agnosticism · atheism · materialism · rationalism · secularism · freethought · humanism · naturalism · Socratic
- thinkersthinkers, thinker, philosophers, philosopher, Aristotle
- nonbelieversatheist, atheists, agnostic, agnostics, nonbeliever
- freethinkersfreethinker, freethinkers, secularists, rationalist, rationalists
- spellingscolour, color, favour, favor, honour
- dissentersdissenter, dissenters, dissidents, dissident, nonconformists
- faith labelsbeliever, nonbeliever, atheist, agnostic, theist
skepticbeliever
One who accepts something
true believer · dogmatist · ideologue · zealot · partisan
- vaccine skepticOne doubting immunization safety
- skeptical lookFacial expression conveying doubt
- climate skepticOne questioning global warming
- climate skepticismDoubt about atmospheric science
- scientific skepticismEvidence-demanding epistemological stance
- skeptical inquiryEvidence-demanding examination of claims
skeptical, skepticism, skeptics, skeptically, skepticisms, skepticalness