Ancient vs Modern Skepticism

Michael Williams gives a talk on the differences between ancient skepticism and modern skepticism. I don’t remember where this was originally from, but I believe it was given sometime around 2012.

00:00 Ancient vs Modern Skepticism
39:38 How Cartesianism leads to Skepticism

#Philosophy #Epistemology #Skepticism

[divertissementmonas]

Really enjoyed this lecture! I had read Sextus's explanation of Skepticism a long time before I was formally introduced to the skepticism of Descartes and Hume... I thought, at the time that the modern form was not Skepticism. I had absorded Sextus because the edition I had was from the Loeb Classical Library and it had the ancient Greek text on the opposite page of the English translation. After I read it, I then used the book to try and teach myself to read ancient Greek. It's great to hear a lecture about it. Thank you.

[Gabriel-ptci]

Oh! This was an old upload that I was hoping you incorporate to the recovered channel. Thank you, @Philosophy Overdose, I will listen it again right now!

[syedadeelhussain]

Should have discussed Epicurean, Stoics and Spinoza's contributions for and against scepticism.
Also one must distinguish between cynicism and scepticism.

[rhetoric]

Ancient skepticism is pretty obvious in the Socratic dialogues. Not only are what’s outside subject of question, but perception itself is subjected to question abs ought to not be held in any regard. It’s why Socrates mocks man being the measure of all things as pronounced by gorgias

[Donteatacowman]

I'm surprised to hear the lecturer claiming that no one can seriously believe these theories. If you ask average folks on the street if the universe only exists as a simulation, I'm pretty sure a decent handful will say yes. If you don't consider them as real possibilities, how can you take them seriously enough to study? And the people who do think they're plausible seem more likely to seek out philosophy as a result. It would only be a psychiatric problem if these beliefs came suddenly and are disruptive to your life. If you had a genuine conviction in these ideas, medication may help you chill out about them, but if you are wondering how you could confirm/deny those ideas and who talked about them and why, then you are back to philosophy again. (I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.)