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Erasmus University Rotterdam

The Politics of Skepticism

This is a course about the history of Skepticism from the ancient Greeks to today, with special attention to the political ramifications of questioning man's ability to know the world and himself with any certainty. We will discuss the debates raging between Plato and the Sophists, the rise of Christianity in the Roman world, and the so-called 'Skeptical Crisis' of the Renaissance as well as Pierre Bayle's Skepticism and David Hume's. In addition the Natural Law tradition will be explored and the relationship between Skepticism and Conservatism. In the second part, we will explore the systematic relations between Skepticism and politics. What is skeptical doubt? When is doubt relevant? How does Skepticism relate to tolerance and to freedom of expression? And can it help us to solve political problems not only in a critical, but also in a creative way?

Status: Policy Analysis
Status: Investigation
IntermediateCourse16 hours

Featured reviews

JQ

5.0Reviewed Jun 3, 2017

Nice Course. Enjoyed the concepts. Thanks, sincerely

EC

5.0Reviewed Aug 26, 2017

Very good materials and quality videos. Great teachers. This course made me decide upon Erasmus as the university i want to study at, next year.

DB

5.0Reviewed May 14, 2020

Looking for philosophical insights, this is the right place.

CM

5.0Reviewed Sep 11, 2020

Excellent course :-) The videos were interesting, clear and to the point. Both instructors were great, and I enjoyed the scenic settings

All reviews

Showing: 16 of 16

D S
4.0
Reviewed Mar 26, 2018
Sharon Y. Abrams
2.0
Reviewed Oct 1, 2021
Siobhan Lyons
4.0
Reviewed Mar 11, 2022
Remington Chase
4.0
Reviewed Jan 23, 2020
Thomas Day
1.0
Reviewed Oct 20, 2020
J H B van der Meer
5.0
Reviewed May 8, 2019
Asad Ali
5.0
Reviewed Jun 2, 2023
Edmund Baumann
5.0
Reviewed Jan 2, 2024
Ellie Cercel
5.0
Reviewed Aug 27, 2017
Catherine Mcmillan
5.0
Reviewed Sep 12, 2020
Debraj Biswas
5.0
Reviewed May 15, 2020
JOHN QUINCY
5.0
Reviewed Jun 4, 2017
Trent Trepanier
5.0
Reviewed Jun 1, 2018
LAMPRINI-ELENI KONSTANTI
5.0
Reviewed Jan 28, 2021
Libero Prentzas
5.0
Reviewed Aug 21, 2025
Joy Smith
3.0
Reviewed Sep 5, 2017