Skepticism and Animal Faith
Encyclopedia
Scepticism and Animal Faith (1923) is a later work by Spanish-born American philosopher
George Santayana
. He intended it to be "merely the introduction to a new system of philosophy," a work that would later be called The Realms of Being
, which constitutes the bulk of his philosophy, along with The Life of Reason
.
Scepticism is Santayana's major treatise on epistemology; after its publication, he wrote no more on the topic. His preface begins humbly, with Santayana saying:
Moreover, he does not claim philosophical supremacy:
While Santayana acknowledges the importance of skepticism
to philosophy, and begins by doubting almost everything; from here, he seeks to find some kind of epistemological truths. Idealism
is correct, claims Santayana, but is of no consequence. He makes this pragmatic
claim by asserting that men do not live by the principles of idealism, even if it is true. We have functioned for eons without adhering to such principles, and may continue, pragmatically, as such. He posits the necessity of the eponymous "Animal Faith", which is belief in that which our senses tell us; "Philosophy begins in medias res", he assures us at the beginning of his treatise.
American philosophy
American philosophy is the philosophical activity or output of Americans, both within the United States and abroad. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes that while American philosophy lacks a "core of defining features, American Philosophy can nevertheless be seen as both reflecting and...
George Santayana
George Santayana
George Santayana was a philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. A lifelong Spanish citizen, Santayana was raised and educated in the United States and identified himself as an American. He wrote in English and is generally considered an American man of letters...
. He intended it to be "merely the introduction to a new system of philosophy," a work that would later be called The Realms of Being
The Realms of Being
The Realms of Being is the last major work by Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana. Along with Skepticism and Animal Faith and The Life of Reason, it is his most notable work; the first two works concentrate primarily on epistemology and ethics respectively, whereas The Realms of Being is...
, which constitutes the bulk of his philosophy, along with The Life of Reason
The Life of Reason
The Life of Reason, subtitled "the Phases of Human Progress", is a book published in five volumes from 1905 to 1906, by Spanish-born American philosopher George Santayana...
.
Scepticism is Santayana's major treatise on epistemology; after its publication, he wrote no more on the topic. His preface begins humbly, with Santayana saying:
Moreover, he does not claim philosophical supremacy:
While Santayana acknowledges the importance of skepticism
Skepticism
Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...
to philosophy, and begins by doubting almost everything; from here, he seeks to find some kind of epistemological truths. Idealism
Idealism
In philosophy, idealism is the family of views which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing...
is correct, claims Santayana, but is of no consequence. He makes this pragmatic
Pragmatism
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is called intelligent practice...
claim by asserting that men do not live by the principles of idealism, even if it is true. We have functioned for eons without adhering to such principles, and may continue, pragmatically, as such. He posits the necessity of the eponymous "Animal Faith", which is belief in that which our senses tell us; "Philosophy begins in medias res", he assures us at the beginning of his treatise.