<The> history of scepticism from Savonarola to Bayle

Annotation This is the third edition of a classic book first published in 1960, which has sold thousands of copies in two paperback edition and has been translated into several foreign languages. Popkin's work has generated innumerable citations, and remains a valuable stimulus to current historical research. In this updated version, he has revised and expanded throughout, and has added three new chapters, one on Savonarola, one on Henry More and Ralph Cudworth, and one on Pascal. This authoritative treatment of the theme of scepticism and its historical impact will appeal to scholars and students of early modern history now as much as ever Popkin's Work Has Generated Innumerable Citations And Remains A Valuable Stimulus To Current Historical Research. In This Updated Version, He Has Revised And Expanded Throughout, And Has Added Three New Chapters, One On Savonarola, One On Henry More And Ralph Cudworth, And One On Pascal. This Is An Authoritative Treatment Of The Theme Of Scepticism And Its Historical Impact. 1. The Intellectual Crisis Of The Reformation -- 2. The Revival Of Greek Scepticism In The Sixteenth Century -- 3. Michel De Montaigne And The Nouveaux Pyrrhoniens -- 4. The Influence Of The New Pyrrhonism -- 5. The Libertins Érudits -- 6. The Counterattack Begins -- 7. Constructive Or Mitigated Scepticism -- 8. Herbert Of Cherbury And Jean De Silhon -- 9. Decartes: Conqueror Of Scepticism -- 10. Decartes: Sceptique Malgré Lui -- 11. Some Spiritual And Religious Answers To Scepticism And Descartes: Henry More, Blaise Pascal, And Quietists -- 12. Political And Practical Answers To Scepticism: Thomas Hobbes -- 13. Philosophers Of The Royal Society: Wilkins, Boyle, And Glanvill -- 14. Biblical Criticism And The Beginning Of Religious Scepticism -- 15. Spinoza's Scepticism And Antiscepticism -- 16. Scepticism And Late Seventeenth-century Metaphysics -- 17. The New Sceptics: Simon Foucher And Pierre-daniel Huet -- 18. Pierre Bayle: Superscepticism And The Beginnings Of Enlightenment Dogmatism. Richard H. Popkin. Rev. And Expanded Ed. Of: The History Of Scepticism From Erasmus To Spinoza. Rev. And Expanded Ed. C1979. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 379-407) And Index. This is a thoroughly revised and expanded edition of Richard Popkin's classic The History of Scepticism, first published in 1960, revised in 1979, and since translated into numerous foreign languages. This authoritative work of historical scholarship has been revised throughout, including new material on: the introduction of ancient skepticism into Renaissance Europe; the role of Savonarola and his disciples in bringing Sextus Empiricus to the attention of European thinkers; and new material on Henry More, Blaise Pascal, Thomas Hobbes, Baruch Spinoza, Nicolas Malebranche, G.W. Leibniz, Simon Foucher and Pierre-Daniel Huet, and Pierre Bayle. The bibliography has also been updated. In this third updated edition of a classic book first published in 1960, there are three new chapters, one on Savonarola, one on Henry More and Ralph Cudworth, and one on Pascal. This authoritative treatment of the theme of scepticism and its historical impacts should appeal to scholars and students of early modern history One of the main avenues through which the sceptical views of antiquity entered late Renaissance thought was a central quarrel of the Reformation, the dispute over the proper standard of religious knowledge, or what was called "the rule of faith."