[I]. Philosophic embassy from Athens to Rome, [120]—Lectures of Carneades on Justice versus Expediency, [121]—Public and private morality in Rome: position of Cato, [122]—His motion for the dismissal of the embassy, [123]—Carneades and Plato, [123].
[II]. Different meanings of the word scepticism, [123]—False scepticism as an ally of orthodoxy, [125]—Vein of doubt running through Greek mythology, [126]—Want of seriousness in Homer’s religion, [127]—Incredulous spirit shown by some of his characters, [127]—Similar tendency in Aeschylus and Herodotus, [128]—Negative and sceptical elements in early Greek thought, [128].
[III]. Protagoras the true father of philosophical scepticism, [129]—The three theses of Gorgias, [130]—Sceptical idealism of the Cyrenaic school, [132]—Scepticism as an ally of religion with Socrates and Plato, [133]—The Parmenides, the Sophist, and the Timaeus, [134]—Synthesis of affirmation and negation in metaphysics and in dialectics, [135]—Use of scepticism as a moral sanction by the Megarians, 136.
[IV]. Life and opinions of Pyrrho, [137]—Denial of first principles: present aspect of the question, [139]—Practical teaching of Pyrrho, [140]—Encouragement given to scepticism by the concentration of thought on human interests, [141]—Illogical compromise of Epicurus, [143]—Parasitic character of the sceptical school, [143].
[V]. Origin of the New Academy, [144]—Character and position of Arcesilaus, 145—The Stoic theory of certainty, [146]—Criticism of Arcesilaus: his method of infinitesimal transitions, [147]—Systematic development and application of the Academic principle by Carneades, [148]—His analysis of experience, [149]—His attack on syllogistic and inductive reasoning, [150]—His criticism of the Stoic and Epicurean theologies, [151]—Sceptical conformity to the established religion, [153]—Theory of probable evidence as a guide to action, [154]—A priori reasoning of the ancient sceptics, [155]—Their resemblance in this respect to modern agnostics, 156—and also in their treatment of ethics, [157]—Obedience to Nature inculcated by Carneades, [158].
[VI]. Return of Greek thought to the Sophistic standpoint, [158]—Obstacles to a revival of spiritualism, [159]—Platonising eclecticism of the Academy: Philo and Antiochus, [160]—Approximation of Stoicism to Aristotle’s teaching, [162]—General craving for certainty and stability in philosophy, [163].
[VII]. Sudden paralysis of the Greek intellect, [165]—Probable influence of the new Latin literature, [165]—Adaptation of Greek philosophy to Roman requirements, 166—Increased prominence given to the anti-religious side of Epicureanism, 167—Its ethics ill-suited to the Roman character, [168]—Growing popularity of Stoicism: Panaetius and Posidonius, [168]—It is temporarily checked by the influence of the Academy, [169].
[VIII]. Academic eclecticism of Cicero, [170]—His attempted return to the principles of Socrates, [171]—Natural instinct as the common ground of philosophy and untrained experience, [172]—Practical agreement of the different ethical systems, 173—The weakness of Cicero’s character favourable to religious sentiment, 173—His theological position, [174]—Contrast between Cicero and Socrates, [175].
[IX]. The ideas of Nature, reason, and utility, [176]—Meaning and value which they possessed for a Roman, [177]—Cynic tendencies of Roman thought, [178]—Influence exercised by the younger Cato in favour of Stoicism, [179]—The philosophy of natural law as illustrated in Roman poetry, [180]—Stoic elements in the Aeneid, [181]—The Roman love of simplification and archaism, [182]—Cynicism of Juvenal, [183].
[X]. Neo-Scepticism as a reaction against Naturalism: Aenesidêmus, [184]—Return to the standpoint of Protagoras, [184]—Critical analysis of causation and perception, [185]—The ten Tropes, [186]—Their derivation from the categories of Aristotle, [186]—Ethical scepticism of Aenesidemus, [187]—The Tropes simplified and extended to reasoning, [188]—Their continued invincibility as against all appeals to authority, [189]—Association of Scepticism with Empiricism, [189]—Sextus Empiricus and Hume on causation, [190].