--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Johnson is a radical skeptic, insisting…" description: "\"“ Johnson is a radical skeptic, insisting, in the best Socratic tradition, that everything be put on the table for examination. By contrast, most skept..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/william-a-dembski-10968_bias_johnson-is-a-radical-skeptic-insisting-i_388630.png" --- # Johnson is a radical skeptic, insisting, in the best… ![“Johnson is a radical skeptic, insisting, in the best Socratic tradition, that everything be put on the table for examination. By contrast, most skeptics opposed to him are selective skeptics, applying their skepticism to the things they dislike (notably religion) and refusing to apply their…” quote by William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/william-a-dembski-10968_bias_johnson-is-a-radical-skeptic-insisting-i_388630.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/william-a-dembski-10968_bias_johnson-is-a-radical-skeptic-insisting-i_388630.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/william-a-dembski-10968_bias_johnson-is-a-radical-skeptic-insisting-i_388630.png) > ““ Johnson is a radical skeptic, insisting, in the best Socratic tradition, that everything be put on the table for examination. By contrast, most skeptics opposed to him are selective skeptics, applying their skepticism to the things they dislike (notably religion) and refusing to apply their skepticism to the things they do like (notably Darwinism). On two occasions I’ve urged Michael Shermer , publisher of Skeptic Magazine, to put me on its editorial board as the resident skeptic of Darwinism. Though Shermer and I know each other and are quite friendly, he never got back to me about joining his editorial board.”” [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A radical skeptic demands universal scrutiny, unlike selective skeptics who only doubt disliked ideas and accept favored ones without question. **In simple terms:** Demand equal doubt for all claims. Key Takeaway Apply consistent critical thinking. Themes skepticism critical thinking intellectual honesty Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic debate - public policy - media criticism - science communication Key Concepts Socratic method bias confirmation bias Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure our doubts are applied evenly? - What risks arise from favoring certain ideas? A Different Perspective Selective skepticism can undermine genuine inquiry when bias is unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Critical thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-thinking/) [Darwinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwinism/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Macro-evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macro-evolution/) [Macroevolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macroevolution/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scepticism/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) ## Related quotes > [“Regardless of one's point of view, it's quite easy to see that Darwinism is not in the same league as the hard sciences. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/regardless-of-one-s-point-of-view-it-s-quite-easy-to-see-that/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [“The most essential prediction of Darwinism is that, given an astronomical number of chances, unintelligent processes can make seemingly-designed systems, ones of the complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-behe/the-most-essential-prediction-of-darwinism-is-that-given-an/) [Michael J. Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-behe/) > [“But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/but-then-with-me-the-horrid-doubt-always-arises-whether-the-2/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“I recently asked more than seventy eminent researchers if they would have done I their work differently if they had thought Darwin's theory was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-s-skell/i-recently-asked-more-than-seventy-eminent-researchers-if-they-would/) Philip S. Skell > [“The controversy between Darwinism and intelligent design has the characteristics of major scientific revolutions in the past. Darwinists are losing power because they treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-wells/the-controversy-between-darwinism-and-intelligent-design-has-the/) [Jonathan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-wells/) > [“The ideology and philosophy of neo-Darwinism which is sold by its adepts as a scientific theoretical foundation of biology seriously hampers the development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-l-voeikov/the-ideology-and-philosophy-of-neo-darwinism-which-is-sold-by-its/) Vladimir L. Voeikov > [“For those scientists who take it seriously, Darwinian evolution has functioned more as a philosophical belief system than as a testable scientific hypothesis. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-shapiro/for-those-scientists-who-take-it-seriously-darwinian-evolution-has/) James A. Shapiro > [“The phrase 'the fossil record' sounds impressive and authoritative. As used by some persons it becomes, as intended, intimidating, taking on the aura of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-j-nelson/the-phrase-the-fossil-record-sounds-impressive-and-authoritative-as/) Gareth J. Nelson > [“All disciplines of science are built on the causality of the relationships governing related events. Yet the theory of evolution is built upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-janabi/all-disciplines-of-science-are-built-on-the-causality-of-the/) T.H. Janabi > [“New mutations don't create new species; they create offspring that are impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/new-mutations-don-t-create-new-species-they-create-offspring-that-are/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [“Natural selection eliminates and maybe maintains, but it doesn't create... Neo-Darwinists say that new species emerge when mutations occur and modify an organism. 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Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [“Before you can ask 'Is Darwinian theory correct or not?', You have to ask the preliminary question 'Is it clear enough so that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/before-you-can-ask-is-darwinian-theory-correct-or-not-you-have-to-ask/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [“If Darwinists are opposed to mentioning scientific problems with their view, you would think they would be even more opposed to mentioning intelligent design.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-wells/if-darwinists-are-opposed-to-mentioning-scientific-problems-with/) [Jonathan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-wells/) > [“I am absolutely convinced of the lack of true scientific evidence in favour of Darwinian dogma. Nobody in the biological sciences, medicine included, needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-o-leguizamon/i-am-absolutely-convinced-of-the-lack-of-true-scientific-evidence-in/) Raul O. Leguizamon ## More by William A. Dembski > [The problem with merely writing so that you can be understood is that the wrong people, in advancing their agendas, are only too ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/the-problem-with-merely-writing-so-that-you-can-be-understood-is-that/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [Intelligent Design opens the whole possibility of us being created in the image of a benevolent God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/intelligent-design-opens-the-whole-possibility-of-us-being-created-in/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [“Science must not degenerate into applied materialistic philosophy. 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Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) [Explore all 62 William A. Dembski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) ## More Bias quotes > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... 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There's no bias in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-edwards/that-s-awesome-there-s-no-bias-in-the-media/) [Carl Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-edwards/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I'm speaking out against social media bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-speaking-out-against-social-media-bias/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. 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