ARCESILAUS

ärsĕsˌĭlāˈəs, c.316–c.241 b.c., Greek philosopher of Pitane in Aeolis. He was the principal figure of the Middle Academy. Despite his position in the Academy, his teachings diverged from Platonic doctrine. By emphasizing the doubt expressed by Socrates as to the possibility of gaining knowledge, he took a position comparable to that of the Skeptics (see skepticism). He argued that knowledge and opinion could not be distinguished from each other, so that what anyone claims to know may be more or less probable but not certain. In denying the possibility of certainty he was a major opponent of the Stoics (see Stoicism). Arcesilaus indirectly influenced Carneades and his school.

See A. A. Long, The Hellenistic Philosophers (2 vol. 1987).

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The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All rights reserved.

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Questia Books and Articles on: Arcesilaus
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books on: Arcesilaus  - 226 results

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1.
The Sceptics
Book by R. J. Hankinson; Routledge, 1998
...tradition of Greek scepticism, Pyrrho, Arcesilaus c. 318-c. 243 BC , Carneades c...century BC , three wrote nothing at all Arcesilaus and Carneades aped Pyrrho in this regard...fragile Chapter VII, 120-1 . For Arcesilaus too we must rely on indirect testimony...
2.
From Aristotle to Augustine
Book by David Furley; Routledge, 1999
Subjects: Augustine--Saint, Bishop Of Hippo
...dies. Lyco heads Peripatetic School until 225 268 Arcesilaus head of Academy until 242 263 Zeno dies. Cleanthes...tradition took a somewhat surprising turn. The Academy under Arcesilaus, following the example of Socrates, perhaps, rather than that...
3.
Pindar's Pythian Odes: Essays in Interpretation
Book by R. W. B. Burton; Oxford University Press, 1962
Subjects: Pindar--Pythian Odes
...Pythian 2 and at Pythian 5.115, where it is said of Arcesilaus c c c, he has been proved a skilled...of Cyrene for taking part in a c c c against the king, Arcesilaus; and the first three Pythians , to Hieron of Syracuse...
4.
First-Person Fictions: Pindar's Poetic "I"
Book by Mary R. Lefkowitz; Oxford University, 1991
Subjects: First person narrative, Games in literature, Greece--In literature, Laudatory poetry, Greek--History and criticism, Pindar--Technique, Rhetoric, Ancient, Self in literature
5.
Lectures on the History of Philosophy - Vol. 2
Book by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, E. S. Haldane, Frances H. Simson; University of Nebraska Press, 1995
Subjects: Philosophy--History
...4. Ethics 300 C. The Philosophy of the Now Academy 311 1. Arcesilaus 313 2. Carneades 319 D. Scepticism 328...
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journal articles on: Arcesilaus  - 8 results

       More journal Results: 1-8 >>  
 
1.
Skeptical Strategies in the Zhuangzi and Theaetetus
Journal article by Lisa Raphals; Philosophy East & West, Vol. 44, 1994
Subjects: Philosophy, Philosophy, Asian
...schools. The skeptics of Platos Academy, Arcesilaus and Carneades, claimed the legacy of...whether Plato and Socrates were skeptics. Arcesilaus (ca. 315-241 B.C.E.), the founder of...D. The major academic skeptics were Arcesilaus (ca. 315-ca. 242 B.c.) and Carneades...
2.
Semiotics in the Philosophy of Law: the Skeptical Contribution of Pyrrhonism to Epistemological and Ethical Relativism
Journal article by João Maurício Adeodato; The American Journal of Semiotics, Vol. 20, 2004
Subjects: Epistemology, Ethics, Law, Philosophy, Semiotics
...phases respectively commanded by: Plato; Arcesilaus; Carneades and Clitomachus; Philo of...from the common sense of Pyrrhonism. Arcesilaus, born in Pitane, Aeolia, quarreled with...paralyzing state in relation to life, Arcesilaus, trying to better clarify the concept...
3.
Secessionism Meets the New World Order: the Southern League, David Hume, and the Urge to Create Borders
Journal article by Mark D. West; Journal of American and Comparative Cultures, Vol. 24, 2001
Subjects: Philosophy, Secession, Southern League
...skeptics of antiquity, particularly Arcesilaus. And, the goal of skepticism, like all...the skeptics of Platos academy, under Arcesilaus and Carneades, who do not even posit...Pyrrhonians or the Academic skeptics like Arcesilaus; Hume, as Livingston understands him...
4.
A Kernel of Doubt
Journal article by J. Goody; Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol. 2, 1996
Subjects: Agnosticism--Analysis, Belief and doubt--Analysis, Skepticism--Analysis
...understanding of the world an impossibly difficult task. These doctrines had a great effect on the Middle Academy, especially under Arcesilaus (c. 316/15-241 BCE), who called for a suspension of judgement, and Carneades (c. 213-129 BCE), both of whom levelled their...
5.
Siger and the Skeptic
Journal article by Antoine Cote; The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. 60, 2006
Subjects: Aristotle--Works, Greek philosophy--Works, Philosophers--Works, Siger of Brabant--Works, Skepticism
...48) The thesis is attributed to Carneades by Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors 7, 159-65), and can be traced back to Arcesilaus (Cicero, Academica 2.77-8). For discussion and presentation of these and other relevant texts, see Anthony A. Long and David...
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encyclopedia articles on: Arcesilaus  - 4 results

 
 
1.
Arcesilaus
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
ARCESILAUS arses ila s, c.316 c.241 b.c., Greek philosopher of Pitane in Aeolis. He was the principal figure of the Middle Academy...probable but not certain. In denying the possibility of certainty he was a major opponent of the Stoics (see Stoicism ). Arcesilaus indirectly influenced Carneades and his school. See A. A. Long, The Hellenistic Philosophers (2 vol. 1987...
2.
Carneades
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...Diogenes the Stoic, but reacted against Stoicism and joined the Academy , where he taught a skepticism similar to that of Arcesilaus . He denied the possibility of absolute certainty in knowledge; it is disputed whether he held that probable knowledge was...
3.
Academy
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...the Old Academy (until c.250 b.c.) of Plato, Speusippus , and Xenocrates ; the Middle Academy (until c.150 b.c.) of Arcesilaus and Carneades , who introduced and maintained skepticism as being more faithful to Plato and Socrates; and the New Academy...
4.
Skepticism
Encyclopedia article; The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2009
...Pyrrho , regarded as the father of skepticism, later held a similarly extreme position, seeing reality as inaccessible. Arcesilaus taught that certitude is impossible and only probable knowledge is attainable. In the Renaissance, skepticism is seen in...


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