Please go to Google. Type in "define: skepticism". Press enter. Read the actual definitions. Considering the fact that you don't know what the term "skeptic" means, compared to contrarian, should illustrate why I hold your opinion on evolution quite low.

Sorry. Aced my scientific philosophy coursework years ago. I'm well aware of what empirical skepticism (the term I used) means, and why it's an encouraged position for researchers to take. You're (apparently) talking about philosophical skepticism, which is a priori worthless for evaluating scientific claims, as it involves assuming that you cannot make them to begin with. I assumed you knew the difference.

More broadly, part of your problem is precisely that you're educated by Google. It's why I'd never home-school my children-- it's the old saw stating 'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing'. There's a lot to be said for learning from experts in a more bidirectional flow of information. Google/etc. is a valuable supplement to that sort of education, but it isn't a replacement.

Doubt is a normal and important aspect of our world. Doubt is what makes us double check things and helps us think outside the box.

Doubt is also assuaged when you study a subject and learn that its predictions are validated by evidence. I have doubt about a lot of subjects (see below, seawater-as-fuel), but Darwinian evolution is quite possibly one of the best-studied theories in human history, and somewhere along the lines of getting my doctorate and reading a few dozen books by various authors (including Behe, etc.) on the subject, I feel I've sufficiently "double-checked" this subject.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com