Carneades Quotes
Carneades of Cyrene was a Greek philosopher and the most important head of the New Academy, the skeptical phase of Plato's school. He was famous for his ability to argue with equal force on either side of any thesis, a virtuosity he displayed during his celebrated embassy to Rome in 155 BC, where he argued for justice on one day and against it on the next. The quotes below are attributed to Carneades, organized by topic.
Carneades on Justice
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Attributed to Carneades:
“If justice were a virtue, men would honor those who chose to be defrauded over those who chose to defraud.”
Carneades on Knowledge
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Attributed to Carneades:
“Nothing can be known, not even this.”
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Attributed to Carneades:
“Where reason yields no certainty, the wise are guided by what is persuasive.”
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Attributed to Carneades:
“The wise man assents to nothing with full conviction.”