III: Scepticism
Academic Scepticism:
Arcesilaus and Carneades
Diogenes Laertius 4.28-44 (selections) [III-1]
- Arcesilaus, the son of Seuthos (or of Scythos according to Apollo-
dorus, in the third book of his Chronology) was born in Pitane, in Aeolis.
He is the founder of the Middle Academy and the first to suspend
[making] assertions because of the contradictions among arguments. He
was also the first to argue both sides of a question and the first to change
the doctrine handed down by Plato, that is, to make it more eristic by
the use of question and answer ....
32.... Some say that Arcesilaus never wrote a book because he
suspended judgement about everything. Others say that he was discovered
finishing up some work which, according to some, he published, but
according to others, he burned. He seems to have admired Plato and he
possessed his books. According to some, he also emulated Pyrrho, and
practised dialectic and took up Eretrian argumentative procedures/ as a
result of which, Ariston said of him, "Plato in front, Pyrrho in back, and
Diodorus in the middle." ... - He was most inventive at finding exactly the right words with
which to counter opponents, at steering the course of argument back to
the topic, and at saying the right thing on every occasion. He was more
persuasive than anybody at all, which drew many to his school, even
though they were chastened by his sharpness. Still, they bore it gladly,
for he was an extremely good man and inspired his pupils with hopes.
He was most generous in his way of living and was always quick to do
a good deed and to conceal the favor, being a very modest man. For
example, one time he went to see Ctesibius who was sick and, seeing
that he was hard pressed for money, secretly put a purse under his pillow.
When Ctesibius found it he said, "This is Arcesilaus' little joke." Another
time he sent him 1000 drachmas ....
l. The Eretrian school, founded by Menedemus, seems to have been a continuation of the
school of Elis and to have concentrated on dialectic; see Cicero Academica 2.129.
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