The politics of skepticism in the ancients, Montaigne, Hume, and Kant

the long version

This book brings out the profound influence of the tradition of philosophical skepticism on political thought. It shows that many of the root ideas of liberalism in early modern thought were a product of engagement with the skeptical tradition. The book begins with the first extended discussion in the literature of the political implications of ancient skepticism, asking the question, "Can Skeptics Live a Skeptical Politics?". The following sections explore the influence of skepticism on the political thought of Montaigne, Hume, and Kant. The case is made that some forms of liberalism derived from these thinkers have been historically closely bound up with skepticism. Teachers of the history of political thought, political theory, and political philosophy will use this book as a guide to teaching a new history of the epistemological foundations of political thought. Liberal theorists will use it to help them return to their roots in a philosophical tradition that once provided them with valuable arguments, and might still do so today.