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Single Idea 6592

[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 6. Scepticism Critique ]

Full Idea

The ancient Academic sceptics charged the Pyrrhonian sceptics with 'negative dogmatism' when they claimed that a certain kind of knowledge is impossible.

Clarification

'Dogmatism' is strong belief which is unjustified

Gist of Idea

Academics said that Pyrrhonians were guilty of 'negative dogmatism'

Source

report of Pyrrho (reports [c.325 BCE]) by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason Ch.4

Book Ref

Fogelin,Robert: 'Walking the Tightrope of Reason' [OUP 2004], p.114

A Reaction

It is this kind of point which should push us towards some sort of rationalism, because certain a priori 'dogmas' seem to be indispensable to get any sort of discussion off the ground. The only safe person is Cratylus (see Idea 578).

Related Idea

Idea 578 Cratylus decided speech was hopeless, and his only expression was the movement of a finger [Cratylus, by Aristotle]

The 30 ideas with the same theme [ways of objecting to strongly sceptical claims]:

1919 You don't need to learn what you know, and how do you seek for what you don't know? [Plato]
1762 When someone denied motion, Diogenes got up and walked away [Diogenes of Sin., by Diog. Laertius]
6592 Academics said that Pyrrhonians were guilty of 'negative dogmatism' [Pyrrho, by Fogelin]
20794 How can sceptics show there is no criterion? Weak without, contradiction with [Sext.Empiricus]
3064 When sceptics say that nothing is definable, or all arguments have an opposite, they are being dogmatic [Diog. Laertius]
3604 When rebuilding a house, one needs alternative lodgings [Descartes]
2294 I can only sense an object if it is present, and can't fail to sense it when it is [Descartes]
6488 Locke has no patience with scepticism [Locke, by Robinson,H]
19392 I don't recommend universal doubt; we constantly seek reasons for things which are indubitable [Leibniz]
2240 It is a very extravagant aim of the sceptics to destroy reason and argument by means of reason and argument [Hume]
2241 The main objection to scepticism is that no good can come of it [Hume]
5592 Scepticism is the euthanasia of pure reason [Kant]
5595 Scepticism is absurd in maths, where there are no hidden false assertions [Kant]
22780 It is a rejection of intellectual dignity to say that we cannot know the truth [Hegel]
6945 Once doubt ceases, there is no point in continuing to argue [Peirce]
22206 Natural science has become great by just ignoring ancient scepticism [Husserl]
21578 Global scepticism is irrefutable, but can't replace our other beliefs, and just makes us hesitate [Russell]
22163 The scandal of philosophy is expecting to prove reality when the prover's Being is vague [Heidegger]
3596 Total doubt can't even get started [Wittgenstein, by Williams,M]
4160 One can mistrust one's own senses, but not one's own beliefs [Wittgenstein]
8805 Skepticism is false because our utterances agree, because they are caused by the same objects [Davidson]
2566 You can't debate about whether to have higher standards for the application of words [Rorty]
3252 Scepticism is based on ideas which scepticism makes impossible [Nagel]
2743 What is the point of arguing against knowledge, if being right undermines your own argument? [Dancy,J]
3880 Logical positivism avoids scepticism, by closing the gap between evidence and conclusion [Scruton]
19559 Contextualists slightly concede scepticism, but only in extremely strict contexts [Cohen,S]
6364 We can't start our beliefs from scratch, because we wouldn't know where to start [Pollock/Cruz]
3761 Modern arguments against the sceptic are epistemological and semantic externalism, and the focus on relevance [Bernecker/Dretske]
6590 Scepticism deals in remote possibilities that are ineliminable and set the standard very high [Fogelin]
19507 Radical scepticism is merely raised, and is not a response to worrying evidence [Pritchard,D]