Cicero (on the Stoics) · 106–43 BCE
On Duties 2.8 — Cicero (on the Stoics)
Translation by Walter Miller (1913)
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 2.8
What, then, is to hinder me from accepting what seems to me to be probable, while rejecting what seems to be improbable, and from shunning the presumption of dogmatism, while keeping clear of that recklessness of assertion which is as far as possible removed from true wisdom? And as to the fact that our school argues against everything, that is only because we could not get a clear view of what is "probable," unless a comparative estimate were made of all the arguments on both sides. But this subject has been, I think, quite fully set forth in my "Academics." And although, my dear Cicero, you are a student of that most ancient and celebrated school of philosophy, with Cratippus as your master—and he deserves to be classed with the founders of that illustrious sect—still I wish our school, which is closely related to yours, not to be unknown to you. Let us now proceed to the task in hand.
Cite this passage
Cicero (on the Stoics), On Duties 2.8, tr. Walter Miller (1913)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/on-duties/2.8
Cicero, On Duties (De Officiis), tr. Walter Miller (Loeb, 1913). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesIt is reasonable to accept what seems probable and reject what seems improbable, avoiding both dogmatism and reckless claims to certainty. Arguing against every view is only a way of weighing both sides so you can see what is most likely. The passage ends with a note to his son about the schools of philosophy.
Older wording
- “dogmatism”
- — rigidly asserting opinions as certain truth
- “presumption”
- — overconfident assumption
Themes and situations
- Judgements and impressions
- Learning and progress
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