Stoicism - Religious Dogmatism
- perception as reliable, external objects mold themselved to our minds like a wax seal.
- Metaphysical beleifs could be deduced "A priori" through pure reason -- god, his existence of nature, morality, free will and providence.
- original gola of a knowledge seeker = tranquility.
- initial belief, certainty will bring tranquility. The pursuit -- certainty is unobtainable -- seeker gives up, giving up brings tranquility.
- skeptic can follow "common sense" without firmly believing in it.
- maybe the skeptic can have beliefs about what will probably fulfill desires (get pleasure)
- Beliefs about appeareances vs. Beliefs about reality (metaphysics) -- Make tentative judgement vs. Withold judgement.
- Similar to early buddhism, parable of the arrow. Man gets shot with poison arrow and the doctor can cure him, instead the man asks every question about the man who shot him, and in turn dies of the poison. Moral? some imformation is irrelevant.
- Pascal, you should believe in god because its your best bet. No serious consequences if god exists. Serious consequences for disbelief (hell).

Modern Epistomology -- began with DeCartes, a 17th century french philosopher.
- attempt to lay groundwork for modern science.
- reconsile science and religion.
- "mediations on first philosophy" DeCartes book that he attempted to get science (physics) in the door by using religion.
- philosophy is "handmaid of Theology"