Nothing to Fear from this Thought: Montaigne, Pyrrhonism, and Reformation

Abstract

M. de Montaigne was a child of both the Renaissance and the Reformation, as well as a lucid follower of Sextus Empiricus. The article shows how Pyrrhonism led him to question the beliefs of his time and to abide by the prevailing customs and laws. This gave rise to his moderate political position and to his non-dogmatic adhesión to Catholicism. On the basis of the hypothesis that Montaigne’s political-religious views can only be understood in the light of his skepticism, the paper also analyzes his original reaction to the Reformation.

Keywords

• M. de
• Montaigne
• Catholicism
• Pyrrhonism
• Reformation.