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Get ready to question everything on International Skeptics Day, celebrated on October 13! This day was first established in the early 1990s as a way to celebrate critical thinking and encourage people to question and challenge beliefs, ideas, and information. So if you tend to be skeptical or have a tendency to doubt things, this is the perfect day for you! Embrace your inner skeptic and have some fun with it – who knows what interesting discoveries you might make along the way. So go ahead and put your thinking caps on, because today is all about questioning the world around us.
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>400s BC</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Socratic Method of Questioning</div><div class='timeline-text'>Greek philosopher Socrates, recognized as one of the founders of Western philosophy, developed the "Socratic Method," which encouraged critical thinking and questioning of assumptions.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1500s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Scientific Skepticism Emerges</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Renaissance era saw the rise of scientific skepticism, which emphasizes empirical evidence and the scientific method.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1880s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Psychical Research Institutes</div><div class='timeline-text'>Institutes for psychical research began operating in the UK and US, investigating paranormal phenomena from a scientific and skeptical perspective.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1976</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>The Skeptics Society Founded</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Skeptics Society, a nonprofit organization that promotes scientific skepticism, was founded by Michael Shermer.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1990s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>International Skeptics Day Established</div><div class='timeline-text'>International Skeptics Day was established in the early 1990s, encouraging people to practice critical thinking and challenge accepted beliefs and ideas.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Host a "Skeptics Only" game night</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Invite your fellow skeptics over for a game night filled with games that test critical thinking and reasoning skills. This is a fun and interactive way to celebrate International Skeptics Day.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Attend a lecture or seminar on skepticism</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Search for local events or online webinars on skepticism and attend one to expand your knowledge and celebrate the day with like-minded individuals.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Create a "skeptical" scavenger hunt</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Gather some friends and create a scavenger hunt filled with clues and challenges that test critical thinking skills. This is a fun way to celebrate while also exercising your mind.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Watch a documentary about skepticism</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Gather some friends and watch a thought-provoking documentary about skepticism. This is a great way to learn and celebrate the day together.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Start a discussion group about skepticism</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Gather a group of friends or colleagues and start a regular discussion group about skepticism. This is a great way to celebrate the day and continue learning and challenging each other's beliefs.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It promotes critical thinking</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>International Skeptics Day encourages people to question and challenge information that is presented to them. It celebrates the value of skepticism and promotes critical thinking skills, which are important for making informed decisions in our daily lives.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It's a chance to learn something new</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>On this day, people can share their knowledge and experiences with each other, leading to interesting and informative discussions. It's a great opportunity to learn about different perspectives and expand our understanding of the world around us.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It fosters healthy skepticism</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Being skeptical doesn't mean being cynical or closed-minded. International Skeptics Day celebrates the importance of keeping an open mind while approaching new ideas or information. It teaches us to examine evidence critically before accepting it as truth - a valuable skill in today's world of easily spread misinformation.</p></div></div>
<div class="facts-item"><div class="facts-number-wrapper"><p class="facts-number">1</p></div><div class="facts-core-content"><h3 class="facts-title">Skepticism expanded the horizon for philosophers</h3><p class="facts-content">Ancient Greek philosophers like Pyrrho and Sextus Empiricus are known to have adopted philosophical skepticism, questioning the possibility of certainty in knowledge. Their thoughts set the groundwork for future philosophical developments in Western philosophy.</p></div></div><div class="facts-item"><div class="facts-number-wrapper"><p class="facts-number">2</p></div><div class="facts-core-content"><h3 class="facts-title">Bertrand Russell endorsed constructive skepticism</h3><p class="facts-content">Known for his works on philosophy and logic, Bertrand Russell highlighted the importance of constructive skepticism. He believed in questioning assertions and encouraging the use of evidence-based judgments in knowledge-formation.</p></div></div><div class="facts-item"><div class="facts-number-wrapper"><p class="facts-number">3</p></div><div class="facts-core-content"><h3 class="facts-title">Modern skepticism contributes to scientific methods</h3><p class="facts-content">Modern skepticism tends to lean towards scientific skepticism, where all claims to knowledge are questioned until satisfactory evidence is presented. This kind of skepticism is intrinsic in the scientific method used today.</p></div></div><div class="facts-item"><div class="facts-number-wrapper"><p class="facts-number">4</p></div><div class="facts-core-content"><h3 class="facts-title">Skepticism has influenced many areas of study</h3><p class="facts-content">Skepticism has had a profound influence not just on philosophy and science but on a wide range of fields — including politics, sociology, journalism, and ethics — by paving the way for critical thinking and inquiry.</p></div></div><div class="facts-item"><div class="facts-number-wrapper"><p class="facts-number">5</p></div><div class="facts-core-content"><h3 class="facts-title">Skepticism plays a crucial role in combating misinformation</h3><p class="facts-content">In today's era of information overload, skepticism serves as an essential tool in fighting misinformation and false news, promoting a society that values fact-checking and evidence-based decision-making.</p></div></div>
International Skeptics Day is celebrated on October 13 every year. In 2024 International Skeptics Day will occur on a Sunday.
2023
Oct 13
Friday
2024
Oct 13
Sunday
2025
Oct 13
Monday
2026
Oct 13
Tuesday
2027
Oct 13
Wednesday
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