The New International Encyclopædia/Arcesilaus

AR′CESILA′US (Gk. Ἀρκεσίλαος, Arkesilaos) (B.C. 316–241). A Greek philosopher, founder of the Middle Academy. He was born at Pitane, in Æolis; studied philosophy at Athens, first under Theophrastus, the Peripatetic, and afterwards under Crantor, the Academician, and through the latter became acquainted with Polemon and Crates, by whom, as well as by Crantor, he was profoundly influenced in his philosophic views. After the death of Crantor, he became the head of the Academic school. Arcesilaus marks a reaction against the dogmatism of the Stoic school of philosophy, and an intended recurrence to the method and attitude of Plato and Socrates. He denied the Stoic doctrine of a “convincing conception,” which he affirmed to be, from its very nature, unintelligible and contradictory. He also denied the certainty of intellectual and sensuous knowledge, and recommended abstinence from all dogmatic judgments. In practice, he maintained, we must act on grounds of probability. Though Arcesilaus confined his activity to teaching by the Socratic method, and wrote nothing, his influence on the future course of philosophic thought was far-reaching. He had clearness of thought, cutting wit, and readiness of speech; his frank and generous disposition charmed his opponents as well as his disciples. Consult Zeller, Geschichte der griechischen Philosophie (Leipzig, 1893).