Print this page Scepticism: Can Doubt Lead to Peace of Mind?

The ancient Greek sceptics argued that suspending judgement could free us from anxiety and lead to greater peace of mind. This course explores the origins of scepticism and follows its development through thinkers including Pyrrho, Socrates, Aristotle, Montaigne, Hume, Kant, Wittgenstein and Russell. Participants will examine scepticism's critics as well as its supporters while considering whether philosophical doubt still has something valuable to offer today. Suitable for anyone interested in philosophy and the history of ideas.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE RESOURCES

• Annas and Barnes, Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Scepticism
• Barnes, The Toils of Scepticism
• Montaigne, Apology for Raymond Sebond
• Hume, Enquiry
• Kant, Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysics
• Russell, Problems of Philosophy
• Wittgenstein, On Certainty

COURSE OUTLINE

• What is scepticism?
• The ancient Greek sceptics
• Modern scepticism
• Scepticism and its critics

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand the key arguments of the ancient Greek sceptics
• Understand the key arguments of modern scepticism
• Understand the different kinds of scepticism
• Understand some of the arguments of its critics