5 minutes
For the skeptics of Ancient Greece, the human being will never be able to access the truth of the facts. They affirm that, instead of knowing, people only think.
Philosophical skepticism is a theory of knowledge that defends the non-existence of the truth and, if it exists, it denies that human beings are capable of knowing it. The origin of this current is found in Ancient Greece.
It is attributed to the Greek philosopher Pyrrho of Elis (c. 360 – 270 BC), who founded the skeptical school called Pyrrhonism, to which philosophers such as Timon the Silgrapher (c. 320-230 BC) and the Sextus Empiricus (c. 160-210) belonged.
It is thought that the disbelief of the skeptics was such that nothing was true or false, not bad or good, not heretical or sacred. This is how they put into practice the epoch or suspension of the trial, and could reach the ataraxia or peace of mind. Next, we will detail what this philosophical current consists of and we will distinguish it from the current and everyday notion of skepticism.
Principles of philosophical skepticism
In general terms, the postulates defended by philosophical skepticism are the following:
- The human being will never be able to access true knowledge and nothing can be affirmed of anything.
- The reality cannot adjust to the concepts that we handle mentally.
- Knowledge acquired through the senses is unreal.
- Everything we know comes to us by chance or by habit.
Characteristics of philosophical skepticism
The main characteristics of the skeptical philosophical school are the following:
- The word skeptic comes from skeptikós, which derives from skeptesthai (examine, investigate). Thus, the skeptikoi they are those who examine or those who investigate. In this way, skepticism consists of going beyond what is accepted as true.
- Skeptics doubted a priori of any statement or fact. In this way, they reached the suspension of the trial and indifference to the world.
- It encompassed different philosophical positions and positions, depending on each skeptical thinker. It reached its highest production centuries later, during the Renaissance
- Skeptics were unpopular in Ancient Greece, having a reputation for disruptors of rites, legends and myths.
- Skepticism disappeared after the fall of the Greco-Roman civilization. However, it reappeared centuries later during the Renaissance, when it became a tool against medieval Christian dogmatism.
Representatives of philosophical skepticism
The most prominent representatives of philosophical skepticism are the following.
Pyrrho of Elis (c. 360 – 270 BC)
He is considered the father of skepticism. It is said that he was a great traveler who met distant cultures with the army of Alexander the Great. All that background allowed him to question many of the traditional truths of his people.
The only written testimony of the Pyrrhonic work is an ode dedicated to Alexander the Great. The legacy of his doctrine, collected by his disciple Timon the Silographer, is transmitted through the Sixth Empiric. According to his testimony, Pyrrho was so radical in his position that he denied that the first principles of the aristotelian deduction.
Timon the Silographer (c. 320 – 230 BC)
He was a Greek philosopher and satirical poet, disciple of Pyrrho and Stilpon of Megara. Almost everything he knows about him comes from the work of Diogenes Laercio. It is said that he was extremely eloquent but poor.
Sixth Empirical (c. 160 – 210)
Roman physician and philosopher of Greek origin, to whom most of the precepts of Pyrrhonian skepticism are attributed, in his work Pyrrhonic Sketches. He received the nickname of Empirical for his philosophical conceptions, but especially for his medical practice.
His writings, highly influenced by those of Pyrrho and Enesidemus, are directed against the dogmatic claim to know the absolute truth, both in morals and in science.
Lucian of Samósata (125 – 181)
Roman writer of Syrian origin who used the Greek language, belonging to the so-called second sophistry. Together with Sexto Empírico they were the last skeptics of antiquity.
Examples of philosophical skepticism
To better understand what philosophical skepticism is, here are some examples:
- If a supporter of the skeptical school is presented with two opposing arguments, both of which have a strong enough basis to support them, will defend not to take sides for any. Well, that carries with it the loss of tranquility.
- The following statements are cataloged as skeptical: “I have certain arguments and I have others to the contrary, but I do not defend any”; “I neither affirm nor deny the existence of God”, “I do not believe in a truth, but if there is one, which I do not deny, I have no means of knowing it”.
- Someone skeptical would not say that it is hot; he would just say that he feels hot. For he would not dare to affirm knowledge as if it were an absolute truth.
Everyday acceptance of skepticism
When speaking of skepticism, an attitude of doubt about what others proclaim as fact generally comes to mind. That is, the tendency not to believe the opinions, beliefs or statements of third parties out of the blue, unless they are supported by the necessary evidence.
In the case of the everyday notion of skepticism, it is enough for the person to verify the veracity of the facts by their own means (generally through their own senses) to affirm or deny their veracity,
Instead, philosophical skepticism is more extreme, since the person will never affirm or deny the veracity of the facts. Even if he could check through your senses. Let us remember that this philosophical position distrusts the knowledge provided by the senses and flatly denies the acquisition of truth.
To better understand the distinction, let’s take the example of those who deny that global warming is happening. Many of us might think that these are skeptical people.
However, rather than doubting whether such warming is true or not, they suggest that it does not exist. Therefore, if we consider the philosophical notion of the term, these people would not fall into the category of skeptics.
It might interest you …