Once you’ve fully exercised your skepticism and called the contents of common sense into such doubt that common sense seems no better grounded than any other solidly constructed poetic vision you might find yourself tempted to experiment. If you’ve been able to walk on this surface for all this time without falling beneath, what other unlikely surfaces will hold you up?

However, standing in the boat and looking out on the water and speculating how it might bear your weight, trying all sorts of possible explanations and theories (does God solidify the water under each foot like a tiny boat? Does he hold you up by the scruff of your soul? Maybe there’s a sandbar under there? Maybe the water is frozen?) – that is not exercising skepticism. Exercising skepticism is testing the possibilities in ordinary day-to-day practice. I’m tasteless enough to call rational resolve’s practical follow-through “faith”.