Academic Scepticism in the Development of Early Modern Philosophy [Hardcover]

This book explores how far some leading philosophers, from Montaigne to Hume, used Academic Scepticism to build their own brand of scepticism or took it as its main sceptical target. The book offers a detailed view of the main modern key figures, including Sanches, Charron, La Mothe Le Vayer, Bacon, Gassendi, Descartes, Malebranche, Pascal, Foucher, Huet, and Bayle. In addition, it provides a comprehensive assessment of the role of Academic Scepticism in Early Modern philosophy and a complete survey of the period. As a whole, the book offers a basis for a new, balanced assessment of the role played by scepticism in both its forms. Since Richard Popkin's works, there has been considerable interest in the role played by Pyrrhonian Scepticism in Early Modern Philosophy. Comparatively, Academic Scepticism was much neglected by scholars, despite some scattered important contributions. Furthermore, a general assessment of the presence of Academic Scepticism in Early Modern Philosophy is lacking. This book fills the void.

1. The Philosophy of Francisco Sanches: Academic Scepticism and Conjectural Empiricism (Claudio Buccolini).- 2. La r?ception des Acad?miques dans les Essais : une mani?re voisine et inavou?e de faire usage du doute sceptique (S?bastien Prat).- 3. La sagesse de Pierre Charron et le scepticisme acad?mique (Fernando Bahr).- 4. La Mothe Le Vayer et lAcad?mie sceptique (Sylvia Giocanti).- 5. Reading Scepticism Historically. Scepticism, Acatalepsia and the Fall of Adam in Francis Bacon (Silvia Manzo).- 6. Academic Scepticism and the Early Royal Society (Benjamin D. Hill).- 7. Nos in Diem Vivimus: Gassendis Probabilism and Academic Philosophy from Day to Day (Delphine Bellis).- 8. The Modes of Descartes First Meditation (Richard Davies).- 9. Confusing Faith and Reason? Malebranche and Scepticism (Julie Walsh).- 10. Pascal sur le pyrrhonisme de Montaigne dans lEntretien avec M. de Sacy : doute pyrrhonien ou doute acad?mique? (Martine P?charman).- 11. lóÚ