Carnéades de Cirene ( Cyrene , 214 BC – Athens , 129 BC e. Greek philosopher, scholar of the so-called New Academy, systematic skeptic, deepened the philosophy of the same tendency of his predecessor in the Academy, Arcesilao . [1]
Summary
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- 1 Biographical synthesis
- 2 Philosophy
- 1 Criticism of the Stoics
- 2 The dialectical method
- 3 Action, degrees of reliability
- 4 Criterion of truth. Practical criterion: “to phitanon”
- 3 Sources
Biographical synthesis
He was born in the Greek colony of Cyrene, in Libya. Later he became a citizen of Athens .
Philosophy
- He was director of the Academy , and began the period that is usually called the New Academy, to differentiate it from the period in which Arcesilao and his followers directed it .
- He tried to give that academy a new orientation, known as probabilism, which colored Arcesilao’s skepticism.
- He deepened the like-minded philosophy of his predecessor at the Academy, Arcesilao.
- His doctrine was based on the impossibility of authentic knowledge and on the reduction of knowing, at most, to an assertion of probability.
- He was known for his great eloquence but like other philosophers of the time.
- His philosophical orientation was contrary to the Epicureans and, especially, to the stoicism of Chrysippus .
- He was chosen one of the three philosophers who represented Athens in Rome arguing for and against justice.
- He focused much of his efforts on criticizing Stoicism, which remained the main rival of the academy.
Criticism of the Stoics
He attacked the Stoics’ arguments in favor of the gods as inconsistent, and their doctrines about destiny and providence as, according to Carneades, eliminating human freedom. He also attacked the Stoic doctrine of cataleptic representations since, according to him, man lacks criteria to decide which phenomena correspond to reality, that is, we do not know what cataleptic fantasies are.
The dialectical method
He affirmed that certain knowledge is impossible and that no affirmation is indubitable. As an example of this, it is cited that, towards the year – 155 , on the occasion of going as ambassador to Rome , he argued one day with great eloquence and conviction in favor of justice and the next day, with no less eloquence and conviction, against her. In this way, he wanted to reveal the uncertainty of reasoning that is based on assumptions that cannot be sure and in this way also criticize Stoic logic.
Action, degrees of reliability
For this reason, it is necessary to suspend the judgment (epojé) but, as in order to live according to our own criteria a reasonable standard is required so as not to remain paralyzed, we must act according to the most plausible or probable knowledge. This criterion for conducting existence is not an objective criterion consisting of some representation, which could be false, but it is a subjective criterion, which is not in truth, but in probability, for this reason, Carnéades’ philosophy is known as probabilism.
Criterion of truth. Practical criterion: “to phitanon”
For Carneades, the criterion on which we can act is the probable (to phitanon).