Individual Augustine and Skepticism

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Augustine and Skepticism In all walks of life, there is skepticism. This is merely a matter of opinion for every human. If someone chooses to go down a beaten path, or go against the grains of time to make their own path. Most of the time, people who go down the beaten path will live a long prosperous life while those who went against the grain seem to fade off and become lost when they thought they made the right choice. This just may be a sign for humanity to follow a beaten path so life will go the distance. No matter how long you live, there will always be someone who is a skeptic though. Augustine had trouble with those who were “Total Skepticism.” These total skeptics believed that nothing can be known or, alternatively, profess to suspend judgment in all matters. (Moore, Bruder, 2011) Basically whatever you say is wrong and cannot be proven correct. During these times after Plato, there was actually two school of skepticism that developed making a rival against academics or knowledge. (Moore, Bruder, 2011) Refutations Being part of the “Academics,” Augustine first battled against skepticism with the principle of noncontradiction. This principle makes it known that in a proposition and its contradiction, one must be correct and neither can be true. (Moore, Bruder, 2011) Moore and Bruder explain that “The stick is straight” and “It is false that the stick is straight” cannot both be true. Augustine also believed that when one believed or used any doubt, then that one is disclosing his/her existences. (Moore, Bruder, 2011) In an argument of something being real or not, when the other is using doubt, you could simply say- “Well I guess I am not talking to anyone because you do not exist!” This is a quick answer to those who doubt. One other method of thought that Augustine uses against skeptics is the sense of perception. He says that deception in
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