Historical Pyrrhonism

Historical Pyrrhonism (Latin pyrrhonism historicus ) is a form of the radical skepticism called Pyrrhonism , which focused on the criticism of the possibility of knowledge about history . The term for scientific skepticism, which emerged in France from the 16th century, gained an upswing in the 18th century and was applied in particular to an exaggerated hypercriticism that radically questioned or even denied the possibility of historical knowledge.

The name is derived from the Greek skeptic Pyrrhon von Elis (approx. 360-270 BC). The French history critics of the 17th and 18th centuries, who can be regarded as predecessors of the chronology critics of the 20th century, were particularly considered to be pyrrhonists .

Representative

• Johann Burckhardt Mencke
• Friedrich Wilhelm Bierling
• Jean Hardouin
• François de La Mothe le Vayer

literature

• Meta Scheele : Knowledge and Faith in Historical Science: Studies on Historical Pyrrhonism in France and Germany. Heidelberg 1930 (Contributions to Philosophy, Vol. 18).