What is the meaning
therefore of those general preferences of the town or country life, of a life
of action or one of pleasure, of retirement or society; when besides the different
inclinations of different men, every one’s experience may convince him, that
each of these kinds of life is agreeable in its turn, and that their variety or
their judicious mixture chiefly contributes to the rendering all of them
agreeable.
The Sceptic, David
Hume
I was skimming a booklet "whose pages are already
yellowed" when some memories became lively. I am about to share them with you.
That university student had been accepted to start
the graduation in philosophy at a college in São Paulo almost at the end of the
2000’s. With a precarious philosophical repertoire, the single philosophy book
that had been read was Plato’s Republic, just before the
studies began. Found in a bookstore in "ABC paulista" – a cluster of cities in
the metropolitan surroundings of São Paulo –, the book had a white cover, a
title in wine red, and a picture in faded gray that represented the Parthenon’s
façade. After having found it, the book was put in the hands, some of its pages
were skimmed, and then it was decided it should be bought. Afterwards, there
was excitement, the book was taken home, and its reading could not wait to be
started as soon as possible. So, the journey started like that, and this book
has been here until today.
That was where the journey began, but that would
not be where my steps would advance. I came to this conclusion after reading
the first philosophical texts and after watching some classes when I was
already at the university. Professor Paulo Henrique, who taught a great part of
the classes in Plato and Ancient Philosophy, was an extremely generous person.
His classes were important so that it was possible to build up the notions and
better comprehend certain aspects of Platonism. However, I adopted a prudent
posture regarding the reception of the philosopher’s ideas with which that
student, in this case me, would have contact since the first year of
graduation. According to my evaluation, it would be necessary to have more time
to study and delve deeper into the doctrines throughout the history of
philosophy before being able to establish a philosophical position. Therefore,
I concluded that I would not be Platonic.
I would end up discovering that my precarious
philosophical repertoire would be a virtue when the studies advanced in the
classes, in the debates, and during the exchanging of ideas with colleagues.
But what do you mean? I did not come to the university with those philosophical
readings, so I could gradually build up my notions while I absorbed the
teachings from professors much more experienced who dedicated – and still
dedicate – many years of their lives to the study of thought. That is, I did
not join the university with a preconceived notion of what philosophy would be
– besides, we would discover in the classes that the question "What is
Philosophy?" is considered by some thinkers to be one of the most
philosophically disconcerting questions. It is common to misinterpret a
philosophical text. Moreover, an interpretation may come from wrongly founded
traditional misconceptions. I did not go to the university with these readings,
but I always had an intellectual disposition that I considered a good ingredient
for the thought exercise. I always nourished curiosity before the unknown.
Thus, being able to move along the philosophical paths under the direction of
expert professors turned out to be formidable.
I have always had a restless mind since I was an
adolescent. After joining the university, the opportunity to discover what
other philosophers thought on the most different topics was a way to comprehend
the humanity within myself gradually. Thus, I was discovering that restlessness
was the fruit of reflection, and in this sense, it was part of the course of
maturing. At a certain moment, during graduation, I had the impression that a
meaningful advancement could be made when I established contact with Professor
Porchat’s texts in his Rumo ao Ceticismo through the classes
of Professor Piva, who would become my graduation mentor, a person of unique
generosity. Then, I decided to change the course of my investigations to better
comprehend the proposal of the skeptical "school". Two aspects were important
to make me feel interested in it: The first aspect consisted of prudence
regarding the studies of the different philosophical doctrines, that is, as the
Western tradition was established by Tales, the most diversified thought lines
and philosophical schools were developed throughout the history of philosophy.
In this sense, with the emergence of all the philosophical schools, it also
emerged in the same measure as what Prof. Porchat comprehended to be "o conflito
das filosofias"; the second aspect consisted of a very interesting skeptical
proposal. The skeptic, before the dogmatic doctrines formulated by the most
diversified philosophical schools, which are always in conflict with one
another and with equal persuasive force, suspends the judgment and then reaches
tranquility. All these teachings, which up to that moment were original in my
life, were the fruit of the studies dedicated throughout the classes and from
the participation in the group of studies in skepticism also under the
orientation of Professor Piva. However, comprehending that skepticism is not a
doctrine but an ability takes time – and it would not be different for me. Not
to mention its aporetic and zetetic features.
As I have previously said in other posts,
discovering the philosophical altruism of the doctor and philosopher Sextus
Empiricus after reading his Outlines of Scepticism was one of
the most remarkable events in my university journey. Sextus Empiricus’ texts
were bequeathed to the history of philosophy as one of the main works on
skepticism in ancient times. The skeptical thought has different
manifestations, and Sextus Empiricus’ works are the fruit of the comprehension
of the Pyrrhonian Skepticism, whose founder was Pyrrho of Elis
(365–275 a.C.). Then, knowing that there was the manifestation of Academic
Skepticism at Plato’s Academy was an important
element that indicated my path was directed to the north.
On a Saturday afternoon, if I still remember well,
the day was a bit gray, so I decided to find some books in a second-hand
bookshop from "ABC paulista". I needed to prepare some university homework, and
then there could be a good place to find them. There was the university
library, of course, but I wanted to buy those books just to have them available
as often as I could. Professor Piva had already made some comments about a
booklet entitled O que é Ceticismo by Plínio Smith. When I
arrived there, I started going through the shelves. There were so many books,
and that was great! So, when I got to the philosophy section, I did not find
what I was looking for, but I ended up finding a booklet "whose pages were
already yellowed". I imagine the reader already knows what we are talking
about. Yes! O que é Ceticismo. So, I took the book
immediately, and then I would start reading it when I got home.
After going through some pages, I got to the
chapter "O ceticismo mitigado de David Hume". We had the opportunity to study
Hume’s thought when we were in our third year of graduation. At that moment,
when we were reading A Treatise of Human Nature, I had
already absorbed those classes being guided by Plínio Smith’s interpretation of
the mitigated skepticism in his O que é ceticismo – Hume was
27 years old when he finished his Treatise, his first book,
composed in three volumes: The book 1 (Of the Understanding) and the book 2 (Of
the Passions) were published in 1739; the book 3 (Of Morals) along with the Appendix
were published in 1740. I must tell you that, in those circumstances, we had
too little time to delve deeper into Hume’s philosophy, and at that moment, at
least for me, his thought was shown to be one of the most disconcerting and
philosophically rich. The origin of ideas, the foundation of causal inferences,
and the foundation of morals, all those philosophical elements were fruitful
and original! Everything must be comprehended in detail. I wanted to delve
deeper into the studies of Hume’s philosophy as, in those circumstances, we had
just an introductory overview. Those questions, restlessness, and everything
else started fermenting, and they needed other answers. I got curious to
discover other aspects of Hume’s thought.
I decided that I should direct my investigations
into a Master’s degree to delve my studies into the comprehension of the
skeptic "school" and develop a research work on Hume’s mitigated skepticism.
Well, I was approved for the post-graduation program in philosophy at a
university in Guarulhos. But it was not only that. I had decided to build up an
academic career. I am very thankful to Professor Plínio for the orientation
period in which we worked together and, above all, for the opportunity to have
known his interpretation of Hume’s mitigated skepticism in his booklet – with
just a few pages, but not least important in terms of content. His book, O
Ceticismo de Hume, deserves to be read many times – at each reading, a
discovery. Unfortunately, I went through a hard moment throughout the
post-graduation period, and I needed to interrupt my studies to take care of my
health, which was very fragile. That situation compromised the research
progress as well as the work in general. My thinking, researching, and writing
capabilities were compromised in those circumstances. Today, I am fully
recovered and healthy, and my writing capabilities have returned.
That research was not concluded, and it was not
possible to put my academic career into practice. However, I joyfully remember
many good moments that I lived, such as the pauses for a coffee at the canteen,
the post-graduation classes, and the internship days at graduation, when I had
the opportunity to teach. It was incredible. I also keep affectionately here on
my desk the two brushes I used when I was teaching. On the other hand, thanks
to the work developed at graduation, the publication of our translation of
Richard Popkin’s article at Sképsis, and the partially
completed Master’s degree, today, in addition to being a philosopher, I am a
translator. I am also a translator thanks to the studies of the languages I
started cultivating throughout my life, among which the French, whose study
interest was the fruit of the direct influence coming from the activities that
had been started at graduation and whose continuity we had the opportunity to
develop at post-graduation. I have been consolidating my career each day. It is
also incredible to work with people from different places all around the world.
Hume’s philosophical thought is alive in me, and today, my philosophical
repertoire is a little bit more diversified, but, if we consider the Western
tradition, it is extremely restricted, thus, I intend to keep on studying,
besides Hume and skeptical thought themselves, other thinkers. I am also
interested in the studies of French philosophy, especially the thought from
the Siècle des Lumières. Having some reading years ahead, who
knows, is comforting.
I am thankful for the opportunity of that booklet "whose pages are already yellowed" having crossed my path in a second-hand bookshop.
About the painting:
Vincent van Gogh
(1853 – 1890)
Field
with Irises near Arles
Arles, May 1888
oil on canvas
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
Brazilian Portuguese Translations, Brazilian Portuguese Translator #brazilianportuguesetranslations #brazilianportuguesetranslator