When confronted with a factual claim:
- A skeptic demands evidence
- A cynic doesn’t demand evidence, he just automatically assumes the claim is false
- A naive person also doesn’t demand evidence, but he automatically assumes the claim is true
Both cynicism and naivete are forms of gullibility:
- A cynic is easily led to believing that any claims made by xyz are false and not to be trusted
- A naive person is easily led to believing that any claims made by abc are true and should be trusted
Be a skeptic. Demand and weigh evidence and keep your mind open.
— Extracted from Unspun by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson
