Philosophic Doubt
Also called: scientific skepticism
Definition
The habit of treating every finding, including one's own, as provisional and open to revision by new evidence. It keeps a science from hardening into dogma and keeps a practitioner checking whether a favored procedure still works.
In plain language
Keep questioning, even things you are sure about. New data can always change the answer.
Example
An analyst re-checks whether a long-running plan is still effective rather than assuming it is because it worked last year.
Not philosophic doubt
Dismissing a new study because it contradicts what the team already believes.
See also
Written from
- skinner-1953
Written from Skinner (1953) and general philosophy of science. No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.