About Our Organization
There are many types of skepticism. Our organization represents receptive skepticism, a unique and newer version of naturalistic methodological skepticism. To better ensure its ability to both hold its own, and get along with those of different points of view, the philosophy was developed with psychology in mind, using the lens of systems theory.
Through our various outreach goals, our organization advocates for and practices receptive skepticism. We believe we ought to examine with open-mindedness and oppose without hostility. We also feel responsible to do our reasonable best to convey we aren’t dismissing any idea unfairly, (regardless of how terrible the idea may either be or seem to be).
Our project began on Facebook, with the Receptive Skepticism group, and originally was named Community-Minded Skepticism. After about 2 years, we have developed into an organization, and are preparing for a much larger role in advocacy on the local, international and national level.
- Reflective thinking and open-mindedness must be applied to all meaningful claims.
- Advocacy of positions must be conducted with systems theory/cybernetics in mind.
- Society isn’t broadly compatible with methodological skepticism approaches, so humility and patience is needed.
- Reconsidering things that wouldn’t otherwise earn reconsideration is vital for the sake of modeling open-mindedness.
- Science is the best method to use to evaluate testable information.
- We advocate acceptance of the scientific consensus on any subject outside of field of study.
- We advocate acceptance of only the leading positions of any subject outside of field of study.
- There are no unquestionable topics.
- Scorn is a harmful systemic regulation mechanism.
- Selective consideration is a harmful systemic regulation mechanism used by scorn.
- It’s morally atrocious to maintain the scorn or selective consideration mechanism
- Using scorn maintains scorn.
- We should work with those whom we disagree in areas where we do agree.
- Relationships should be forged with those with whom we disagree.
Possibly Controversial Public Positions Presently Supported:
- Anthropogenic Climate Change
- Diverse Sexual Orientations
- Gender as Non-Binary
- Evolution
- Systemic Social Equality Efforts
- Genetically Modified Organism Safety
- Naturalism
- Science-Based Medicine
- Vaccination
The great thing about our organization and philosophy is you don’t need to agree with us on everything to join us where you do. And no stance we have is beyond reconsidering for us.