Skepticism

Empiricus in Skepticism raises some interesting points about the life of a skeptic. A skeptic withholds all judgement in an effort to obtain ultimate tranquility. Empiricus makes a statement about all the other types of people who are not skeptics, “for the person who entertains the opinion that anything is by nature good or bad is continually disturbed” (Empiricus 357). A less drastic alternative could be proposed for those who are not skeptics to consider rather than reject skepticism…

In the worldview of the skeptic, if there is a skeptical hypothesis for something, then that certain thing could not be known. If I were to hold the belief that the grass is green, a skeptic would say, “well, how do you know that grass is actually there? It could be a projection of your imagination. How can I be certain that how you see green is the same way I see green?” The skeptic’s insistence upon certainty in knowledge is challenged for except the knowledge that you yourself exists. I…

The popular misconception is that skeptics are people who disbelieve things. According to Dr. Shermer, the true meaning of the word skepticism has nothing to do with doubt, disbelief, or negativity. “Skepticism is the process of applying reason and critical thinking to determine validity. It is the process of finding a supported conclusion, not the justification of a preconceived conclusion.” Hawthorne seems to be a great skeptic towards the values of his time. In his short stories Hawthorne has…

Descartes explores the nature of human perception through the mind as separated from the body. His meditations on the subject outline a number of principles regarding truth and understanding, but the Dream Argument for Skepticism is derived from a single principle. More specifically, Descartes explains that: "Accordingly, seeing that our senses sometimes deceive us, I was willing to suppose that there existed nothing really such as they presented to us; and because some men err in reasoning,…

In this essay, I will show that Derek Parfit is wrong to think that without perfectionism we cannot avoid the repugnant conclusion. My first step in defending this thesis will be to review Parfit’s argument on the repugnant conclusion and the way perfectionism helps us avoid it. I will then try to undermine his view by showing it supports implausible claims. For example, the premise of Parfit’s argument is that perfectionism does provide a full means of avoiding the repugnant conclusion. However…

As you walk into a house you are confronted by one person who believes that “It’s wrong for a host not to offer a gift (beyond refreshments) to a visitor,” and another who believes that “No! It’s not wrong for a host not to offer a gift (beyond refreshments) to a visitor.” From an individual who has studied Harman’s belief in “moral judgement relativism,” and Ayer’s “expressivism,” it is important we understand why both philosophers’ views cannot make sense of this exchange. For context, Gilbert…

Skepticism is the “ability to place into antithesis…appearances and judgments” (pg. 435) no matter what form or order they appear in. Appearances and judgments can be described as the way we perceive things through our senses and how we react to that perception. The goal of the Skeptic is to keep those reactions, or judgments, as ambiguous as possible. This is referred to as the “suspension of judgment” (pg. 435) or simply the refusal to believe or disbelieve anything. The Skeptics suggest that…

Augustine Against Academic Skepticism: An Analysis of the Concept of the “Testimony of Knowledge” in the Epistemology of St. Augustine This philosophical study will analyze the reliability of “testimony of knowledge” as a foundation for St. Augustine’s epistemology. Augustine seeks to refute the traditional aspects of Platonic philosophy by arguing against the skeptic view of knowledge. The ”academic” (aka. Platonic perspective) of the skeptic is founded on the principles of doubt, which…

Module 2 Discussion 4: Skepticism in social media poetry Social Media has been giving artists more variable ways to connect to the audiences. Many of them had become social media celebrities overnight. Young Poet, Rupi Kaur, who gained her fame by posting verses and simple illustrations on Instagram and became to New York Times Bestseller. Social Media is not the privilege for young poets, many veteran poets like Billy Collins are also using Social Media, like Twitter and Facebook to publish…

The Apraxia Objection in Academic Skepticism The apraxia objection is o The thesis of suspension of assent on all matters (henceforth the thesis of suspension) 1. The Inactivity Objection The inactivity objection is an argument put forward by Stoics against the possibility and the convenience of suspension of assent on all matters. According to this objection, putting into practice the global and definitive suspension of assent leads to a certain apraxia state which is qualified as a vegetal…