Skepticism

"Education has failed in a very serious way to convey the most important lesson science can teach: skepticism." -David Suzuki


Definition of SKEPTICISM

Merriam-Webster Definition of Skepticism:
1: an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object
2.a : the doctrine that true knowledge or knowledge in a particular area is uncertain
b : the method of suspended judgment, systematic doubt, or criticism characteristic of skeptics
3: doubt concerning basic religious principles (as immortality, providence, and revelation)

My philosophy is that in order to truly find the unexplained, paranormal, perhaps even supernatural event, one must make every effort to first look for plausible, logical, natural answers and then open that up for others to view, research, and offer opinions on. I have a very difficult time with those who would take personally your examination of their experiences or evidence. This field is so wide open to speculation and anyone can feel that they are "knowledgeable" and even "experts".

For example, I heard two people, not long ago, arguing about the personalities of shadow people. One says they are dark demented spirits who are always negative. The other argues, that's not the case and there are good shadow people. Are you kidding me? Please don't pretend to advocate or a make a judgement on something you have no clue about. Have you polled shadow people on their intentions? It's damn embarrassing.
To claim you have answers to things most of us refer to as the "unknown", means you have unveiled something. You claim to have a knowledge or truth. Without hard, irrefutable evidence, it still remains your own personal opinion and we all have those.
I'm a proud member of a scientific research team. We look to find the truth behind claims of the paranormal. Debunking claims is a main strategy in that effort. Anyone who has ever done case work in this field knows that a majority of claims can be naturally explained. If you get no satisfaction in comforting a client that an experience has a reasonable explanation, then your efforts may be more geared towards increasing your adrenaline level and I would suggest hang gliding or platform jumping. A paranormal investigator knows patience and diligence is key. Much like a paleontologist we dig and dig and on very rare occasions make a find that is enough to raise eyebrows. Don't be scared to look at multiple angles. Don't go along with the paranormal explanation just because someone else believes it to be. I have my other team member's back by being objective, looking for truth and I know they are doing the same. Skepticism is not a dirty word. It's the way I filter through my experiences. Suspend your judgement and look for truth before placing it in to the category of "paranormal".