Augustine and Academic Skepticism

"Augustine's main work against the 'Academic' skeptics is Contra Academicos, written shortly after his conversion to Christianity. Blake D. Dutton judiciously supplements his dissection of this work with a consideration of other pertinent texts. As Dutton points out, it was important to Augustine to refute this kind of skepticism because the Academics claimed that the happy life could be achieved only by one's suspending judgment on all matters, a claim that is implausible on its face and inimical to Christian faith. Dutton nicely provides the historical and philosophical background against which Augustine's campaign is carried out. Augustine is Dutton's protagonist, but Dutton is perceptive enough to see that his hero has not succeeded in banishing the foe entirely from the field and honest enough to explain where the vulnerabilities lie. One of the most salient virtues of Augustine and Academic Skepticism is fairness to both sides, a fairness that manifests itself in the care with which Dutton presents and appraises arguments, alternative readings, and intelligent conjectures about what might have been said but wasn't. The relevance of this excellent book to the field of epistemology extends well beyond late patristic studies."-William E. Mann, University of Vermont, author of God, Modality, and Morality "Questions about the epistemic, practical, and moral implications of skepticism matter crucially to Augustine. For the same reason, such questions figure prominently in his writings throughout his career. In this book, Dutton offers a comprehensive and lucid exploration of Augustine's wide-ranging critique of Academic skepticism. His treatment is historically and textually informed as well as philosophically engaging. The book is a valuable contribution both to the scholarship on Augustine's philosophy and to debates about the merits of skepticism generally."-Susan Brower-Toland, Saint Louis University