Session #14 - Skepticism and Neo-Skepticism

"Doubt is the origin of wisdom"
― René Descartes
“Everyone loves a conspiracy.”
― Dan Brown, The da Vinci Code

We share a common reality and also live different ones, nevertheless for some people reality seems more different than for others. Let's seat down for 2 hours to understand skepticism, from its ancient roots to our era of post-truth. How is the new wave of distrust and conspiracies differ from the ancient skeptics, and the classic ones?

Session Outline

• Introductions (15 minutes)
  We will introduce ourselves to the group.
• Introduction to skepticism and brief historical context (15 minutes)
• Questions to debate (1 hour)

1. Why do you think suspending judgement can bring peace of mind, as ancient skeptics did?
2. What made skepticism attractive in ancient Greece and Rome, and how does it resemble to our present times?
3. Is skepticism compatible with faith, or does it undermine it?
4. How did Descartes use skepticism as a method rather than a worldview?
5. Did modern science emerge because of skepticism, or in reaction against it?
6. When is skepticism healthy and when does it become paralyzing or nihilistic?
7. How do we distinguish between critical thinking and permanent doubt?
8. Is skepticism becoming a basic survival skill in the modern world?
   Can we relate disempowerment with skepticism?
9. How can skepticism be practiced today without falling into cynicism or apathy?
10. How do we see today's era of post-truth (fake news, deep fakes, conspiracies) and what awaits in the future?

• Final group conclussions (30 min)
  After our research, everyone will have a turn to address following topics:
  - How are skepticism and neo-skepticim different?
  - What can we do about skepticism?
  - Will the situation of post-truth improve or remain in the future?

How to contribute? the Philosophy Club is collaborating with the venue (Kovasz) and epicurea.hu. You are totally free to drink whatever you want, but if interesting, we arranged for you special discounts on alcohol-free wine glasses, only if you pre-order before the event here:

• White wine (Disfrutand00) 1000 HUF:
  https://epicurea.hu/en/pre-buy-alcohol-free-glasses/verdejo-by-disfrutand00-alcohol-free-white-wine-glass
• Red wine (Tiptop) 1500 HUF: https://epicurea.hu/en/pre-buy-alcohol-free-glasses/tiptop-s-merlot-from-bordeaux-alcohol-free-red-wine-glass
• Red wine (Zeronimo Zweigelt) 2000 HUF: https://epicurea.hu/en/pre-buy-alcohol-free-glasses/zweigelt-by-zeronimo-alcohol-free-red-wine-glass

RSVP: Please confirm your attendance on Meetup so we can secure enough space.