skeptics
Those who question
Skeptics are people who doubt or question claims, especially those accepted by others without sufficient evidence.
The term applies broadly to anyone who withholds belief until persuaded by facts: Skeptics questioned the company's earnings projections.
It also names those who specifically doubt religious doctrines, paranormal phenomena, or pseudoscience: The psychic's claims didn't convince the skeptics in the audience.
People who question claims
- questionersPeople who pose queries
- criticsThose who evaluate work
- cynicsDoubters of sincerity
- naysayersThose who dismiss ideas
disbelievers · challengers · freethinkers · agnostics · nonbelievers · debunkers · contrarians · Sagan
Reason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- critical thinkingObjective evaluation of information
- scientific methodStructured process for investigation
- freethoughtReason-based belief formation
secularism · agnosticism · atheism · naturalism · materialism · positivism · humanism · enlightenment
Lack of firm belief
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- distrustAbsence of confidence
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
- warinessCautious distrust
incredulity · cynicism · pessimism · caution · hesitation · uncertainty · reservation · misgiving
Seeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
- analysisMethodical study of parts
interrogation · probing · vetting · fact-checking · debunking · cross-examination · research · verification
doubters
People who question claims
- questionersPeople who pose queries
- criticsThose who evaluate work
- cynicsDoubters of sincerity
naysayers · disbelievers · challengers · freethinkers · agnostics · nonbelievers · debunkers · contrarians · Sagan · Hume
rationalism
Reason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- critical thinkingObjective evaluation of information
- scientific methodStructured process for investigation
freethought · secularism · agnosticism · atheism · naturalism · materialism · positivism · humanism · enlightenment · logic
doubt
Lack of firm belief
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- distrustAbsence of confidence
- suspicionSense of unease about motives
wariness · incredulity · cynicism · pessimism · caution · hesitation · uncertainty · reservation · misgiving · apprehension
questioning
Seeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- examinationMethodical assessment or review
analysis · interrogation · probing · vetting · fact-checking · debunking · cross-examination · research · verification · testing
- Iconoclastsheretics, freethinkers, dissidents, mavericks, radicals
- nonbelieversatheist, atheists, agnostic, agnostics, nonbeliever
- freethinkersfreethinker, freethinkers, secularists, rationalist, rationalists
- thinkersthinkers, thinker, philosophers, philosopher, Aristotle
- Climate Politicsclimate change, global warming, carbon tax, Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol
- scornersscoffers, mockers, deriders, sneerers, jeerers
skepticsbelievers
Those having faith
true believers · devotees · adherents · converts · accepters
skepticsbelievers
Those having faith
disciples · devotees · true believers · adherents · worshippers
- 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