more from Charles Sanders Peirce

Single Idea 6945

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

Full Idea

Some people seem to love to argue a point after all the world is fully convinced of it. But no further advance can be made. When doubt ceases, mental action on the subject comes to an end; and, if it did go on, it would be without purpose.

Gist of Idea

Once doubt ceases, there is no point in continuing to argue

Source

Charles Sanders Peirce (The Fixation of Belief [1877], p.11)

Book Reference

Peirce,Charles Sanders: 'Philosophical Writings of Peirce', ed/tr. Buchler,Justus [Dover 1940], p.11


A Reaction

This is the way Peirce's pragmatism, which deals with how real thinking actually works (rather than abstract logic), deals with scepticism. However, there is a borderline where almost everyone is satisfied, but the very wise person remains sceptical.