Skepticism is a philosophical current founded by the Greek philosopher Pirro (318-272 a. C.), characterized, essentially, by doubting all the phenomena that surround the human being.
What is?
The word skepticism comes from the Greek “sképsis” which means “examination, investigation”.
Currently, the word designates those people who doubt everything and believe in nothing.
We can say that skepticism:
- argues that happiness consists in not judging anything;
- maintains a neutral stance on all issues;
- questions everything that is presented to him;
- does not admit the existence of dogmas, religious or metaphysical phenomena.
Therefore, if we are willing to accept it, we will reach aphasia, which consists of not expressing opinions on any topic.
Then, we enter the state of ataraxia (lack of worry) and only then can we experience happiness.
Origin
Pyrrhus of Elid was a philosopher who accompanied King Alexander the Great on his expeditions across the East.
On this trip, he encounters several cultures and political systems very different from Greek customs. Therefore, he begins to doubt because he observes that what was fair in one society was unfair in another.
So he will declare that to live well, for the skeptics, is to live without judgment or in the “epoche”.
Like many philosophers of his time, Pyrrhus left no writings and founded no schools. The information we have about his thought is found in fragments of the works of those who were considered disciples of the philosopher.
Philosophical Skepticism
Pyrrhic's philosophical skepticism originated in Hellenism and expanded as the “New Academy”. In the eighteenth century this idea would be partly recovered by philosophers Montaigne and David Hume.
The text of Aristocles (century. II), reproduced in the work “Evangelical Preparation”, by Eusébio de Cesareia (265?-339) summarizes this philosophical principle:
Anyone who wants to be happy must consider three points: first, what are things in themselves? Then, what provisions should we have in relation to them? Finally, what will result from these provisions?
Things are not different from each other, and are equally uncertain and indiscernible. Therefore, our sensations and our judgments teach us neither the true nor the false.
Therefore, we must not rely on feelings or reason, but remain without opinion, without leaning to one side or the other, impassive.
review
However, if we take skepticism to the letter, we would have to doubt skepticism itself. At the same time, we could not express any opinion about skepticism. Is it possible to deny everything around us? If we deny everything, we will deny the very denial and the doubt that made us question the object.
In this way, we must believe in something, even if we have to challenge the truths around us. Luís Fernando Veríssimo's cartoon exposes this dilemma well:
Skepticism and Dogmatism
Skepticism and dogmatism are two opposing philosophical currents.
Skepticism questions everything and recognizes doubt as the only attitude of the sage. For the skeptic, the renunciation of any certainty is a condition for happiness.
In turn, the dogmatism is reasoned:
- in absolute truth;
- in man's ability to obtain the truth without questioning;
- accept without discussion what they claim or claim.
Therefore, dogmatism is accepting as truth everything that exists and is around it, as natural human perception tells us.
read more:
- Determinism
- Epicureanism
- Cynicism
- Nihilism
- patristic
- Atheism
