What Is Scepticism free essay sample

What is Scepticism? Is Methodological Scepticism different? The philosophical term Scepticism can simplistically be described as the challenging of established knowledge, principles, assumptions and beliefs in philosophy, science and theology (Kisner, 2005) Scepticism is based on the fact that with enough skill, any argument can sound convincing However, like most other philosophical constructs the notion is a lot more complex and often ambiguous, particularly upon examination of Rene Descartes and his idea of methodological Scepticism. Methodological Scepticism is an approach that removes all prior beliefs and knowledge in attempt to find further knowledge (William 1999). There are distinct differences between Scepticism and methodological Scepticism. This paper sets out to highlight these differences by firstly providing a working definition of Scepticism. The paper will then delve into the concept of methodological skepticism followed by a discussion into key differences. The basic working presupposition of Scepticism is that all knowledge is limited, if not, unattainable and can be applied to everything in the universe and consciousness. In order to help understand it is important to delve into the historical context of its uprising. The foundations of Scepticism can be credited back to the early works of Pyrho of Ellis (360-272 BC) and Sextus Empiricus (2nd and 3rd Century AD). Largely in response to the dogmatic philosophies and the epistemologies of certain philosophies, I. e. Aristotelian, Epicurean and stocicim ( William 1999), philosophical skepticism aimed to study the nature of knowledge by asking questions such as how can one know? Of what can be One certain? (Kubitz 1939). Knowledge and truth had previously been unchallenged as they were primarily based on religious beliefs, and/or the observations and experiences of respected scholars. Sextus uses Pyrrhonian Skeptical viewpoint in his analysis of knowledge, that is, the idea that one should suspend judgment about virtually all beliefs, neither affirming any belief as true nor deny any belief as false. This is based on the ideology that sense perception as no certain guide to objective reality (Malachowski 1993), that is, our senses and perceptions are subjective and should not stand as a guide to providing information. For example, If Man X tastes Honey to be Sweet, this knowledge or information is purely subjective and a mere opinion/experience of the observer and doesn’t actually say anything about the honey itself (Sheldon 1934) A more extreme form of Scepticism contends that nothing at all can be known. Drawing from the work of Carneades, this skeptical position asserts that people did not possess, and never could possess, any measure of truth (Macachowski 1993). Carneades argued that if truth could be obtained it would have to be based on reason, sensation, or coneption. Because each of these measures are interconnected and ultimately subjective and open to error, these measures would ultimately be disqualified for being a criterion for truth (Sheldon 1934) Given the rising ambiguities surrounding skepticism the problem that had now had been raised was how was one to accept any form of knowledge? Reiterating Carneades’ argument that one could not measure truth the criteria was flawed, thus how could one be sure about anything? Rene Descartes looked to address this crisis by introducing a new radical skeptical approach, far more different to any ideology before it. Coined ‘methodological Skepticism’, Descartes aimed at using skeptical arguments in order to establish a firm ground for knowledge and prove that knowledge was in fact found the mind, and not the external senses as suggested by previous skeptics . In his attempt to achieve this, Descartes, in his book Mediations, begins by inviting the reader to eliminate all beliefs that are open to doubt, he then poses two Key arguments. Firstly, he notes that in particular situations one may think that they are having a certain experience, but are in fact dreaming; thus in any given instance it is not possible to tell if one is not dreaming (Groshlz 2002). Secondly, He argues that there could exist an evil demon that makes on believe in false things (for example; 2+2 may really equal 5, however we believe it to be four) (Schroder 2005). The purpose of these arguments is not to follow on with a classical and/or extreme skeptical ideology asserting that it is impossible for one to know if anything exists but rather to lay a foundation that shows all knowledge through the senses are open to doubt (Pokin 1999). Descartes subsequent comments help elaborate his skeptical argument, he famously states; â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. let him deceive me as much as he can, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I think that I am something. So after considering everything very thoroughly, I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind. † (Descartes 1964-76 cited in Groshlz 2002) More commonly known as Cogito Ergo Sum or â€Å"I am thinking, therefore I am† (Schroder 2005), his identification of a certainty in his skeptical arguments is what makes methodological skepticism so significantly different. Descartes is able to reach a certainty, that is, the certainty of the mind, ‘any act of thinking implies the presence of a thinker, a person, and therefore self-knowledge of personal existence is certain’ (Groshlz 2002: 222). He goes on further to respond to classical skeptical thought (in relation to sensory perception), arguing that one does not actually perceive external objects directly, but rather through the contents of our mind, that is, we have only our impressions of things and not direct experience of things themselves (Malachowski 1993). To help illustrate this difference between these different ideologies of skepticism, if we go back to example of Man X’s experience of Honey, Descartes would argue that sweet qualities delivered by sense perception and imagination introduces knowledge about the object that make it so distinct. Thus, according to Descartes what really constitutes the honey is really thought and not the senses (Groshlz 2002). In looking back at all the information put forward it can be seen that there has been a clear distinction made between the ideologies of classical and methodological skepticism.