出版社：Ecole normale supérieure - Lettres et sciences humaines
摘要：Does Augustine succeed in refuting Academic skepticism in the Contra Academicos ? A careful reading of Augustine’s first philosophical dialogue shows that he has a deep understanding of Academic skepticism. The three books of the Contra Academicos produce a refutation of skepticism at several levels. First, Augustine refutes many of the skeptical arguments from Cicero’s Academica by showing that they are not definitive. But he has perfectly understood that this logical refutation is actually an argument for skepticism. So he has to propound a new way to overcome skepticism by showing its psychological significance. Hence, the philosophical choice of skepticism is interpreted as a despair of the truth. Finally, he seeks to refute skepticism by arguing that the path to the truth depends on faith (fides). This study of the complex answers to skepticism reveals that Augustine’s main arguments against skepticism have their origin in his debate with Cicero and the New Academy.
