Inception of skepticism in vedic literature
pp. 193-214
in: Guttorm Fløistad (ed), Philosophy of religion, Berlin, Springer, 2010Abstract
"Skepticism," says the Encyclopaedia of Philosophy "as a critical philosophical attitude questions the reliability of knowledge claims made by philosophers and others. " Originally, the Greek term skeptikos meant "inquirers ". "Philosophical skeptics have been engaged in inquiry into alleged human achievements in different fields to see if any knowledge has been or could be gained by them. They have questioned whether any necessary or indubitable information can be gained about the real nature of things.1" This attitude of questioning the knowledge claims stems from doubt, and doubt is "the negation of belief, the condition of not having reached a positive conclusion for or against any proposition.