Being paranoid, I must ask: what is the nature of this “project”? Is there some formal research, or are you just drumming up a bit of conversation? You certainly have everyone yakking away happily.
Shit, I’m just here for the cheeseburgers. 
It is for a BA in Psych with UNISA - module PYC306E on Community Psychology.
The response has been excellent, thank you.
You seem to be a smart bunch.
I will be using extracts from this thread, but will make sure its anonymous.
If you have an objection to that, please tell me so I can be sure to exclude the relevant stuff.
If it were me, I’d much rather be thanked profusely in the acknowledgements section. 
Speaking for myself, that is not necessary. My nom de plume provides both adequate anonymity and a sense of what I’m about, individually…
In that case, you are no doubt aware that the sample from this forum is biased and that a control sample, if you do not already have one for comparative purposes, would be a good idea. (That’s just the sceptic in me offering unsolicited advice.)
'Luthon64
I got 80% for the assignment.
Thank you.
So, now that you’ve achieved a distinction with the paper, surely you aren’t shy about sharing it? 
Good idea. Have you got a blog? You could maybe post it there and send us a link 
yeah, boet, share!!!
I realise the paper is done and dusted…but it raised a question in my mind: What is the distinction between a skeptic (why do we use the American spelling anyway?) and a cynic? I know the dictionary definitions…but from the question re destructive vs constructive skepticism…I have a suspicion that cynicism is a destructive form of disbelief or even of a questioning mind…alles is kak regardless of the reality or healthy debate. None of us (not me anyway) would like to be labelled a cynic?? Is this observation accurate? ???
(why do we use the American spelling anyway?)
I sometimes use the name the Skeptic Blacksheep and I use the American spelling because it looks different (which I like) and I’d hate for someone to misread it as the Septic Blacksheep - sounds gross! ;D
To be honest, sometimes it’s very difficult not to become cynical when we live in a country where we’re surrounded by corruption, incompetence and a collapsing infrastructure ???
I don’t really mind when people label me a cynic, just as I don’t mind the label ‘sceptic’ ‘atheist’ devil-worshipper’ ‘upstart’ ‘tart’ etc. Some of these labels fit me, some don’t, and some only sometimes - people trying to put other people into little boxes all the time are just wasting their own time. but hey, if it makes them feel better…
Problem is, the label ‘cynic’ has, in modern context, a very negative connotation (much more so than the word sceptic, even) My dictionary defines cynic as
a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.according to this definition I am cynical, because I believe that it is impossible to commit truly altruistic acts. My dictionary defines sceptic as
One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.Well, duh. The last time I blindly believed what someone told me didn’t work out all that well. And what’s wrong with just asking a question?
According to the above definitions, then, cynicism and scepticism are not the same thing.
nevermind any of this. we want to read your paper dude.
[quote author=Lilli link=topic=1098.msg10212#msg10212 date=1273142363]
My dictionary defines cynic as
a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
We’ve got different dictionaries then. Mine (Oxford) says a cynic is “a person who believes people’s motives are bad or selfish and shows this by sneering ??? at them”.The ‘selfless acts’ bit in yours sounds as if they don’t like selfishness and here I agree with you…I’d like to see or hear of a totally selfless person.
More to the point though, what I was trying to get at was whether skepticism driven to its extreme (negative) isn’t in fact the same as cynicism (an matter of degree then), despite the dictionaries??
Absolutely.
If you want to go with what the average joe on the street thinks the meaning of scepticism/cynicism is then, yes, I think most people will see the terms as synonymous. Scepticism in its most basic form, I think, implies a need to question stuff. It then logically follows that if a person questions even the good stuff (because a good sceptic will question all sorts of stuff) such as love and the love of god and eternal life and whether or not all puppies should be considered cute and cuddly, that person could be seen as being overly negative - ie a cynic. Don’t get the ‘sneering’ part though - thats usually how the good christian folk treat me after they learn I don’t just believe everything (anything) they tell me :-\
So they are cynical about our scepticism. 8)
Thanks Lilli…semantics I know but the comments helped to chrystalise my thoughts around this as well…English is my second (early in life it was my third) language. 