Description
Book SynopsisThe ancient Pyrrhonians skeptics suspended judgment about all philosophical views. Their main opponents were the Dogmatists—those who believed their preferred philosophical views. In Outlines of Skeptical-Dogmatism: On Disbelieving Our Philosophical Views, Mark Walker argues, contra Pyrrhonians and Dogmatists, for a "darker" skepticism: we should disbelieve our philosophical views. On the question of political morality, for example, we should disbelieve libertarianism, conservativism, socialism, liberalism, and any alternative ideologies. Since most humans have beliefs about philosophical subject matter, such as beliefs about religious and political matters, humanity writ large should disbelieve their preferred philosophical views. Walker argues that Skeptical-Dogmatism permits a more realistic estimation of our epistemic powers. Dogmatists who believe their view is correct, while believing that two or more competitor views of their opponents are false, must—at least implicitly—take themselves to be “über epistemic superiors” to their disagreeing colleagues. Such a self-assessment is as implausible as it is hubristic. Skeptical-Dogmatism, in contrast, permits a more realistic and humbler epistemic self-conception. The author also shows that there are no insuperable practical difficulties in living as a Skeptical-Dogmatist.
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Part I: Skeptical-Dogmatism
Chapter 1: A Paradox About Our Epistemic Self-Conception: Are You an Über Epistemic Superior?
Chapter 2: Na-Na, Na-Na, Boo-Boo, the Accuracy of Your Philosophical Beliefs is Doo-Doo
Chapter 3: Noetic Skepticism
Chapter 4: Skeptical-Dogmatism and the External World
Chapter 5: Skeptical-Dogmatism and the Self-Undermining Objection
Part II: Against Skepticism and Dogmatism
Chapter 6: Against Skepticism
Chapter 7: Against Egalitarian Dogmatism
Chapter 8: Against Elitist Dogmatism
Chapter 9: The Ethics of Philosophical Belief
Part III: The Life of a Skeptical-Dogmatist
Chapter 10: The Lives of Skeptical-Dogmatists
Chapter 11: Philosophizing and Skeptical-Dogmatism
Chapter 12: Creative Gadflies
