The Skeptic’s Dilemma: Seeking Truth or Sabotaging It

Skepticism has shaped Western philosophy from its earliest days. At its best, it encourages intellectual humility, careful reasoning, and a commitment to truth. At its worst, it can slide into relativism, cynicism, or the belief that nothing can be known at all. This discussion asks us to evaluate skepticism as both a method and a mindset.
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🔍 Working Definitions

• Methodological Skepticism: Doubt used strategically to test beliefs and uncover secure foundations (e.g., Descartes).
• Radical Skepticism: The view that genuine knowledge may be impossible (e.g., Pyrrhonian skeptics).
• Everyday Skepticism: A moderate stance that questions assumptions without rejecting the possibility of truth.

These distinctions help clarify what kind of skepticism we’re evaluating.
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🧩 Key Philosophical Touchpoints

• Socrates used questioning to expose false certainty and push toward clearer thinking.
• Descartes famously doubted everything he could in order to find something indubitable.
• Hume showed how far skepticism can go by challenging causation, the self, and induction.
• Kant responded to Hume by arguing that skepticism reveals the limits of reason—and the structures that make knowledge possible.

These figures illustrate skepticism as both a creative force and a destabilizing one.
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❓ Guiding Questions
1. What is skepticism meant to accomplish?
Is it a tool for finding truth, avoiding error, or cultivating humility?
2. When does skepticism become excessive?
At what point does doubt stop being productive and start undermining meaningful inquiry?
3. How does skepticism shape the public perception of philosophy?
Why do many people associate philosophy with “nothing is real” or “everything is relative”?
4. Is skepticism a net positive for Western philosophy?
Has it pushed the discipline forward, or has it sometimes led to dead ends?
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🎯 Purpose of the Session
Our goal is to assess whether skepticism—used wisely or unwisely—ultimately strengthens or weakens the philosophical search for truth. The conversation should help us distinguish between healthy doubt and corrosive uncertainty, and consider where that line ought to be drawn.
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We meet in person and online. In person will be at the cafeteria of the applied physics lab. Snack and drinks are available for online purchase. Pizza will be provided as well at a price of $2/slice. Online will be: https://teams.live.com/meet/93583191724730?p=hY3jxVvnOciVl2aRn5
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