On The Criticism Of Dogmatism By New Academia

Cicero terminologized the Platonists represented by Arcesilaus(318-242 B.C.)and Carneades(213-129 B.C.)as “New Academia”.The so-called "new" indicated the innovation of the Platonists by infusing skepticism into Platonism,which automatically invited agnosticism.The former was devoted to the refutation of views dogmatically held by Stoic Zeno according to the paradox between positive and negative propositions,thus he was admitted to epistemologically initiate "epoch".The latter systematically formulated the skepticism in Platonism extracted by New Academia,comprehensively criticized Chrysippus? stoic works,and eventually put forward the theory of "probability".The dissertation principally elaborated the following three questions on New Academia.Above all,were they Platonists or skeptics? It is related to their relationship with Plato nism and Pyrrhonism.Second,why did they introduce skepticism into Platonism and argue with the dogmatists represented by stoics? Third,how did they debate specifically on theory of knowledge,nature and good?First of all,there were the discrepancy between New Academia and orthodox Platonism as a result of the former ?s skepticism which was so radical that they deviated from Pyrrhonism.Virtually,it was possible that they criticized other schools through dialectics for only spreading Plato’s thought.As to their relationship with Platonism,on one hand,they were such faithful principles embracing Platonism that they might have not repudiated the fundamental doctrine of Platonism;on the other hand,their novel thoughts obviously differed from their theoretic source due to the influence of skepticism.So could it prove intrinsic divergence between them? In order to answer it,we should focus on how they insisted on Platonism and accepted skepticism.Therefore,this paper retrospected the history of Plato’s academy,analyzed their similarities and differences between Plato’s theory or Pyrrhonism,and narrated the daily life of two great philosophers in New Academia.O n conclusion,their "insistence" on Platonism was not equal with complete inheritance of the "O ld Academia",but shows the rational light of Platonism by heated debate with other schools.Consequently,it constituted an important link in the development of Platonism,namely,the "defense" of Platonism.Moreover,their "acceptance" of skepticism did not consist in constant suspicion to all judgments,but the dialectic operation through which they could conclude that a ll things are unknowable.So,they were Platonists with the characteristics of skepticism.Secondly,there were the internal and external reasons why New Academia debate with other schools."O ld Academia",for example,Speusippus and Xenocrates,elucidated Plato’s number theory and fell into theoretical problems by which Stoics constantly challenged the authority of Platonism.As we all know,they did not have a number of constructive thoughts,but showed the attitude of explorers who constantly revealed truth,which meant that they would not be subject to accepting or rejecting the views from other schools,conversely but be expert in exposing the dogmatic defects of other arrogant schools by dialectics,so that truth would not be submerged in various "opinions" to be justified.They,of course,successively launched fierce debates with other schools.Specifically,the reasons for the ir debates involved the following three aspects.First,after Plato’s death,his thoughts fell into dilemma for the mixture by O ld Academia with Pythagorean theory.Second,his philosophy was challenged by Aristotelians and Stoics who were all born in Plato’s Academy.Thirdly,when Plato’s school was in crisis,New Academia noticed the strong critical spirit of skepticism,and they absorbed skepticism to fight off the challenge of other schools.Accordingly,the paper first traced back to the source of their skepticism,mainly the presocratic philosophy,and naturally Socrates’ thought.Next,it discussed O ld Academia?s interpretation of Platonism which is the internal background of the dispute between New Academia and other schools.At last,it explained the refutations of Aristotelians and Stoics school against Plato’s philosophy,which directly incurred sensation in New Academia.Finally,the paper showed the highlight of exploration of New Academia?s arguments after definition of New Academia and explanation of reasons of their debate.On the basis of the epistemological position that nothing could be understood,they argued with other dogmatic schools over standard of truth,logic questions,criterion of action,moral purpose,freedom,theology and so on.In history,Epicureans and Stoics successively came to the stage of philosophy and put forward their dogmatic views in epistemology,natural philosophy and ethics.For example,on the issue of knowledge,Epicurus insisted on sensationalism and believed that feeling was the reporter of truth;while Stoics held that "katalepitca phantasia" is the standard of truth.In natural philosophy,Epicureans insisted on atomism and claimed that atom and void constituted everything;Stoics believed that the whole world existed and operated according to "reason","logos" or "God",and that everything was under the necessary causal relationship.In ethics,Epicureans alleged that the purpose of life was happiness where body was painless and soul was undisturbed;Stoics school maintained that living in accordance with nature realize d human virtue,and that a virtuous life was "the best".New Academia,however,the above-mentioned ideas were to be proved,and it is impossible to adopt the so-called "standards" to test knowledge or regulate people’s lives.Consequently,this paper made a thorough investigation on their debate through textual interpretation of works of C icero,Sextus and Diogenes mainly about the following questions: could things be known or understood? Did we agree or doubt proposition? What people can get is "the image of understanding" or "the image of convincing" ? Whether comprehensible or convictable impression could we grasp? Why were our actions possible,or what was the criterion of the actions? What was the purpose of life and what was the best? Did God exist,and in what way?It was proven that the debate between New Academia and other schools promoted the development of various schools at that time.For instance,Arcesilaus and Zeno of citium met on the issue of truth in an argument.The former thought that there was nothing to know,while the latter regarded comprehensible impression as the standard of truth.However,Arcesilaus,Carneades? comrade,later characterized "moderate skepticism",holding that people could obtain convictable impression;while C hrysippus also seemed to make a concession that could not fully understand things as a result of particular “obstacles”.In any case,the dogmatists represented by Stoics confined understand of the world into rigorous limits,but New Academia pointed out new outlet for people,that is,if people took convictable impression as a guide,they could act correctly and live a normal life.Therefore,if it was impossible for human beings to know the world,they could accept it calmly,because in the train of the acceptance came the tranquility and happy life would not only beckon in the distance.