Question

What did Michel de Montaigne relentlessly attack academics for?

a) Their dedication to practical knowledge
b) Their pursuit of wisdom
c) Their indifference to scholarly culture
d) Their emphasis on useful learning

Answer 1

Michel de Montaigne attacked academics for prioritizing practical knowledge and persuasive rhetoric over the pursuit of truth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Michel de Montaigne relentlessly criticized academics for their emphasis on useful learning and practical knowledge. Montaigne was opposed to the then-common academic practice of using rhetoric merely to persuade rather than to uncover the truth. He argued that academics were too concerned with convincing the masses rather than engaging with the deeper philosophical questions of truth and knowledge. This perspective was mirrored in his critique against the Academic Skeptics, who believed that true knowledge was impossible to attain, instead favoring degrees of belief to guide judgments and actions. These ideas contrast with the philosophy of Greek thought, which Montaigne and others saw as being disregarded by many academics of his time.