Early modern skepticism

Definition

Early modern skepticism refers to the philosophical movement during the 16th to 18th centuries that questioned the possibility of certain knowledge. It arose as a response to the rise of scientific inquiry and rationalism, highlighting doubts about sensory perceptions, reason, and even the foundations of belief systems, thereby significantly influencing the development of epistemology.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Early modern skepticism is often associated with philosophers like René Descartes, David Hume, and Sextus Empiricus, each contributing to different aspects of skepticism.
2. Descartes' method of radical doubt led him to conclude 'Cogito, ergo sum' ('I think, therefore I am') as an indubitable truth amidst his skepticism.
3. Hume emphasized that human understanding is limited and that our beliefs about causation and the external world are not based on rational certainty but rather habits of thought.
4. Skepticism in this era paved the way for later philosophical developments, influencing Enlightenment thinkers and shaping modern epistemological discussions.
5. The debates among skeptics and rationalists during this period set the stage for the eventual rise of empiricism as a dominant perspective in epistemology.

Review Questions

• How did early modern skepticism influence the development of epistemological thought during its time?
  • Early modern skepticism significantly influenced epistemological thought by challenging established notions of certainty and knowledge. Philosophers such as Descartes employed radical doubt to question everything that could be doubted, leading to new discussions on what constitutes true knowledge. This questioning opened doors for new approaches like empiricism and rationalism, encouraging thinkers to seek more reliable foundations for understanding reality.
• Compare and contrast the approaches of Descartes and Hume regarding skepticism and knowledge acquisition.
  • Descartes approached skepticism through methodological doubt, seeking to establish a firm foundation for knowledge by doubting everything until he reached an undeniable truth, famously concluding with 'I think, therefore I am.' In contrast, Hume focused on the limitations of human understanding, arguing that our beliefs are shaped more by habit than by rational proof. While Descartes sought certainty through reason, Hume highlighted the role of experience and suggested that knowledge is inherently uncertain.
• Evaluate the lasting impact of early modern skepticism on contemporary philosophical discourse.
  • The impact of early modern skepticism on contemporary philosophical discourse is profound, as it laid the groundwork for ongoing debates regarding knowledge and belief. The challenges posed by skeptics prompted philosophers to rethink the criteria for what constitutes justified belief and how we can attain knowledge. Today's discussions around epistemology still grapple with questions rooted in skepticism, influencing fields such as science, ethics, and even artificial intelligence, making it a vital component in understanding our quest for truth.

Related terms

Empiricism: A theory that states knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience, which early modern skeptics challenged by questioning the reliability of senses.

Rationalism: The belief that reason is the primary source of knowledge, which skeptics like Descartes critiqued by advocating for methodological doubt to establish certainty.

Cartesian Doubt: A systematic process of being skeptical about the truth of one's beliefs, developed by René Descartes to find a foundation for genuine knowledge.