What's the opposite of “dogmatic”?

Question

I'm trying to describe an approach that doesn't just blindly follow established opinion, but seeks validation through experimentation. Any ideas?

Answer 1

In the context of your description, I would offer pragmatic. From TheFreeDictionary:

prag·mat·ic

1. Dealing or concerned with facts or actual occurrences; practical.

Though, this may not be connotatively sound given your circumstance, so you could perhaps go with empirical. Again, from TheFreeDictionary:

em·pir·i·cal

1. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment: empirical results that supported the hypothesis.

2. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment: empirical laws.

Both of these terms are often used in science in relation to experimentation.

Answer 2

How about amenable :

1.Willing to respond to persuasion or suggestions.
2.Willing to comply with; agreeable.

There are the alternatives:

Uncertain
Diffident
Flexible
Impressionable

Answer 3

I would go with flexible or open-minded. The general idea is being unconstrained by common go-to rules.

Answer 4

I'd guess an extreme opposite would be skeptic:

Someone who habitually doubts beliefs and claims presented as accepted by others, requiring strong evidence before accepting any belief or claim.