I think that what I view to be skepticism, is really just the defensive reaction to something she believes but is not willing to reconsider. Critical thought is a habit, it has to be practiced to be useful. Just being skeptical isn't enough. For me, it's a willingness to change my mind, whereas for people like my mother, skepticism is the protection of things that have nestled in there and ought not be removed...
Skepticism is a sign of thinking critically, but without the open-minded part, the ability to practice skepticism alone may deceive people into thinking that they are critical thinkers. When their beliefs are labeled as "Irrational", perhaps the reason they get defensive is because they honestly believe that their way of evaluating ideas is just as rigorous as any other form of inquiry. Since this belief about their habits of mind is also unfiltered, any attempt to address the flaws would be as futile as any other belief one might find a flaw in. It's an impenetrable fortress!
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
-Socrates
Skepticism is a sign of thinking critically, but without the open-minded part, the ability to practice skepticism alone may deceive people into thinking that they are critical thinkers. When their beliefs are labeled as "Irrational", perhaps the reason they get defensive is because they honestly believe that their way of evaluating ideas is just as rigorous as any other form of inquiry. Since this belief about their habits of mind is also unfiltered, any attempt to address the flaws would be as futile as any other belief one might find a flaw in. It's an impenetrable fortress!
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
-Socrates
