Augustine and Academic Skepticism: A Philosophical Study

280 Pages·2016·1.68 MB·English

by  Blake D. Dutton

This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
AUGUSTINE AND ACADEMIC SKEPTICISM
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
AUGUSTINE AND
ACADEMIC
SKEPTICISM
A PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY
Blake D. Dutton
CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS
Ithaca and London
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Copyright © 2016 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review,
this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any
form without permission in writing from the publisher.
For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage
House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 2016 by Cornell University Press
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dutton, Blake D., 1962– author.
Augustine and academic skepticism : a philosophical
study / Blake D. Dutton.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8014-5293-2 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Skepticism. 2. Augustine, Saint, Bishop
of Hippo—Philosophy. I. Title.
B837.D88 2016
189'.2—dc23 2015036020
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally
responsible suppliers and materials to the fullest extent
possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials
include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free
papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly
composed of nonwood fibers. For further information,
visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
To Julian and Reid,
pueris optimis in historia puerorum
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:35:08 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
1. Augustine and the Academics 9
A Brief History of Academic Skepticism *
Augustine’s Academics * A Christian
Addendum * Final Thoughts
Part I. Discrediting Academic Skepticism
as a Philosophical Practice
2. Socrates, the Academics, and the
Good Life 33
Socrates and the Good Life * The
Academics and the Good Life * Three
Cautionary Differences * Final Thoughts
3. Happiness, Wisdom, and the
Insufficiency of Inquiry 49
A Pedagogical Exercise * Augustine
Resolves the Issue * Licentius’s Best
Option * A Problem with Licentius’s
Best Option * A Stoic Solution to the
Problem * Problems with the Stoic Solution
* First Assessment * Denying Wisdom
to the Academics * Second Assessment
* Final Thoughts
vii
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:38:53 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
viii CONTENTS
4. The Inaction Objection 75
The Academic Response: Some
Preliminaries * Carneades on Assent
and Approval * Carneades on
Persuasiveness * Additional
Requirements for Approval * A Quick
Review * Augustine on Carneades
* The Objection from Truthlikeness
* A Concern about the Objection from
Truthlikeness * An Exercise in
Translation * The Crux of the Matter
* Do the Results Stand? * A Rejoinder
on Behalf of the Academics * A Problem
with the Rejoinder * A Brief Assessment
* Final Thoughts
5. Inquiry and Belief on Authority 95
Belief on Authority: From Manichee
to Catholic * Augustine’s Model of
Inquiry: Faith Seeking Understanding
* The Case for Belief on Authority
* Augustine on the Academics as
Inquirers * How to Understand
Augustine’s Charge * Three Problems
with Belief on Authority
* Augustine’s Response * A Brief
Assessment * Final Thoughts
6. The Error of the Academics 120
The Objection from Error * Getting
Straight on Error: The Academics * The
Error of Non-Assent * Problems with
the Error of Non-Assent * Two Anecdotes
* The Error of Non-Assent in Light of
the Anecdote of the Two Travelers * The
Discovery of Truth and the Error of
Non-Assent * Happiness and the Error of
Non-Assent * A Question on Behalf
of the Academics * Two Replies on
Behalf of Augustine * An Additional
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:38:53 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
CONTENTS ix
Question on Behalf of the Academics
* An Additional Reply on Behalf of
Augustine * Final Thoughts
Afterword to Part I 139
Part II. V indicating the Possibility of
Knowledge
7. The Academic Denial of the Possibility
of Knowledge 145
Stoic Epistemology at a Glance
* The Apprehensible Impression:
Zeno’s Definition * A Simplified
Definition * The Core Argument
* The Indistinguishability Thesis
* Defending the Indistinguishability
Thesis * The General Consequences
of the Academic Attack * Final Thoughts
8. The Apprehensible Truths of
Philosophy 165
Augustine and Zeno’s Definition
* Three Dilemmas concerning Zeno’s
Definition * The Apprehensibility
of Zeno’s Definition * Apprehensible
Truths of Philosophy * Apprehensible
Truths of Physics * External World
Skepticism: The Deception of the
Senses * External World Skepticism:
The Possibility of Dreaming * Further
Thoughts on the Possibility of Dreaming
* More Apprehensible Truths of Physics
* A Question about Augustine’s Success
* Apprehensible Truths of Ethics
* Apprehensible Truths of Dialectic
* Doubts about the Apprehensible
Truths of Dialectic * A Fourfold
Classification of the Apprehensible
Truths of Philosophy * Final Thoughts
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Sun, 04 Sep 2016 09:38:53 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms