Relationship of Skepticism to Philosophy

This is Hegel's writings against Gottlob Ernst Schulze, an Anti-Kantian Skeptic who spent his life in both admiration and opposition to Kantian philosophy. Mr. Schulze claims to have discovered a "hereditary flaw" in philosophy that makes it impossible to gain speculative knowledge. Mr. Schulze, like Hegel's self-appointed enemy Feuerbach (a favorite of Marx), attempted to question and undermine the entire field of theoretical philosophy through his skepticism. He argues that speculative philosophy is often portrayed as if it were trying to uncover hidden things behind the shadowy outlines of ordinary experience using abstract concepts and notions. In this work, Hegel examines how skepticism, as a mode of questioning and doubting established beliefs, contributes to the development of philosophical thought. He distinguishes between ancient skepticism, particularly as developed by the Pyrrhonists, and modern skepticism, which emerged in the wake of Descartes. Ancient skepticism, according to Hegel, represents a radical suspension of judgment (epoché) that aims at achieving a state of mental tranquility through the avoidance of dogmatic assertions. In contrast, modern skepticism tends to be more systematic and tied to the epistemological concerns of Cartesian doubt, which uses skepticism as a tool to establish certain knowledge.

The text draws crucial distinctions between ancient skepticism, particularly that of Pyrrho and Sextus Empiricus, and modern skeptical approaches exemplified by Gottlob Ernst Schulze's "Aenesidemus." Hegel argues that ancient skepticism possessed a depth and philosophical sophistication lacking in its modern counterparts. Where ancient skeptics used doubt to transcend the finite certainties of ordinary consciousness and point toward a higher philosophical truth, modern skeptics like Schulze remain trapped within the very dogmatic assumptions they claim to question. This distinction allows Hegel to develop his view that genuine skepticism should be incorporated into philosophical thinking rather than standing opposed to it.

Hegel critically evaluates both forms, acknowledging their contributions while pointing out their limitations. He argues that skepticism, whether ancient or modern, remains incomplete as a philosophical standpoint because it tends to negate without offering a constructive way forward. For Hegel, true philosophy transcends mere skepticism by incorporating its critical insights into a dialectical process. This process involves the negation of negation, whereby skepticism's critique of knowledge becomes a means of arriving at a higher synthesis of understanding. In comparing ancient and modern skepticism, Hegel ultimately argues for a philosophical approach that integrates skepticism's demand for rigor with a positive commitment to truth and rationality.