Quotes About Skepticism

Jesus's rising from the dead was considered as impossible and staggering as such a thing would be considered today. People in the first century did not rise from the grave any more than they do now, in the twenty-first century.

It's so easy to become a grumbler, someone who condemns and carps at everything on principle and sees an ulterior motive behind it.

we've gone all the way from foolishly accepting authority to foolishly rejecting all authority.

Why is it I think you're lying, Brigid?" "Because you spent your entire life surrounded by liars and can't fathom the concept of honesty? Or honor and integrity. Or any other attribute of a good officer.

The problem with a liar is that he doesn't believe anybody else is capable of telling the truth.

The problem with liars is they don't believe anyone is capable of telling the truth.

Men have always detested women's gossip because they suspect the truth: Their measurements are being taken and compared.

The positive thing about the skeptic is that he considers everything possible!

Never trust a fox. Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat.

Before what?" Quiet Rain cut her off. Her old ears were as sharp as Thunder's. "Who's out there, planning my death?

wouldn't be convinced not matter what

Unable to attribute misfortune to chance, unable to accept their ultimate insignificance within the greater scheme, the people looked for monsters in their midst.

Indifference in religion is more fatal than skepticism. There is no pulse in indifference; skepticism may have warm blood.

P.S. I wish I could believe you.)

He hadn't imagined a world in which one hundred percent of the people he investigated were up to no good.

Blackstone's Police Operational Handbook recommends the ABC of serious investigation: Assume nothing, Believe nothing, and Check everything.

I've already told the police what happened, but they don't believe me. Why would you?' he said. 'Because we're the people that believe people that other people don't believe,' I said. 'How can I know that?' he asked. 'You're just going to have to believe me,' I said.

ASSUME NOTHING, believe nothing, check everything—the ABC of policing.

You don't get to be a senior investigating officer unless you have a degree in scepticism, an MA in distrust and your CV lists suspicious bastard under your hobbies.

I ended up learning magic because you can't trust the British to keep to an agreement over the long term.

He was a Parisian,' he said. 'You can never be sure what Parisians believe in – beyond Paris of course.

Your ghost,' she said, 'Nicholas Nickleby. Do you think he might still be at the crime scene?' 'How should I know?' I said. 'I don't even believe in ghosts.

and I gave him the police stare. The aim of the stare is to convey cynicism combined with weary patience. I know you're about to lie to me but because I am a hugely magnanimous agent of state power, I'm willing to give you a moment to think better of it.

What makes you think I know?' asked Zach, who, if questioned, would deny his own existence out of sheer habit.