Comparing Augustine And Skepticism
Augustine and Skepticism
Augustine explained the act of doubting, which is knowledge claims set forth in various areas and asking what they are based upon, what they actually establish, and whether they are indubitable or necessarily true (Moore & Bruder, 2011 p. 81).
Total skepticism is that nothing can be for a fact known, and total skeptics suspend judgment in all matters. Modified skepticism is when there is no doubt that at least a few things can be known, but modified skeptics deny or suspend judgment on the possibility if knowledge about particular things. (Moore & Bruder, 2011, p.80)
In Augustine’s beliefs total skepticism can be refuted in three different ways. The first is that both a contradiction and its proposition cannot be true, one or the other must be true but not both. This is called the principle of non-contradiction. An example of a principle of non-contradiction Icy Hot. How could one thing be icy and hot at the same time? I believe this to be true, although icy hot feels cold when you put it on, it gets hot on your muscles as it starts working. Therefore it is not icy and hot at the same time. …show more content…
The act of doubting is when one’s existence is disclosed as something that is absolutely certain. An example of the act of doubting would be, I am doubting, it automatically follow I am. (Moore & Bruder, 2011, p.82). When I hear the word doubting I automatically think of a skeptic. Doubting means to lack confidence in, or to be in doubt about. (www.Merriam-Webster.com/doubting) Skepticism means an attitude of doubt. (www.Merriam-Webster.com/skepticism) The two are virtually the same so on this point I do not agree with St. Augustine. How could doubting be a refutation of
Augustine explained the act of doubting, which is knowledge claims set forth in various areas and asking what they are based upon, what they actually establish, and whether they are indubitable or necessarily true (Moore & Bruder, 2011 p. 81).
Total skepticism is that nothing can be for a fact known, and total skeptics suspend judgment in all matters. Modified skepticism is when there is no doubt that at least a few things can be known, but modified skeptics deny or suspend judgment on the possibility if knowledge about particular things. (Moore & Bruder, 2011, p.80)
In Augustine’s beliefs total skepticism can be refuted in three different ways. The first is that both a contradiction and its proposition cannot be true, one or the other must be true but not both. This is called the principle of non-contradiction. An example of a principle of non-contradiction Icy Hot. How could one thing be icy and hot at the same time? I believe this to be true, although icy hot feels cold when you put it on, it gets hot on your muscles as it starts working. Therefore it is not icy and hot at the same time. …show more content…
The act of doubting is when one’s existence is disclosed as something that is absolutely certain. An example of the act of doubting would be, I am doubting, it automatically follow I am. (Moore & Bruder, 2011, p.82). When I hear the word doubting I automatically think of a skeptic. Doubting means to lack confidence in, or to be in doubt about. (www.Merriam-Webster.com/doubting) Skepticism means an attitude of doubt. (www.Merriam-Webster.com/skepticism) The two are virtually the same so on this point I do not agree with St. Augustine. How could doubting be a refutation of