Arkesiláos of Pitana

In mathematics Arkesiláos was a pupil of Autolycus of Pitana and Hipponicus. In philosophy he was taught by Theophrastus and Crantor. He was also strongly influenced by the sceptical teachings of Pyrrhon of Elymais, which he tried to reconcile with those of Plato.

Plato's view that knowledge of the sense organs cannot be true was commented by Arkesiláos: "Nor can knowledge of the intellect be true. Thus, judgment (epoché) must be refrained from about essential things, but 'good reasons' (eulogon) can be found for action. ' It may thus be regarded as a precursor of probabilism.

As head of the Platonic Academy, he introduced the method of teaching by Platonic dialogue. By this step he gained many new pupils for the school and thus arrested the decline of the whole Academy.

He was an advocate of skepticism. For example, he said, "Truth exists, but the question is whether a creature as poor as man can know it. ' He also opposed the school of the Stoics and even attacked the Stoic criterion of truth, thus: 'We can therefore know nothing, even that we know nothing, because we can never discern whether something is true or not. This leaves us with only one solution - to refrain from any judgment - epoché."

Arkesiláos did not write any writings. But his teachings are conveyed by his disciples, such as Lakydes. Cicero, Sextus Empiricus and Diogenes Laertios also mention him extensively.