Metrodorus of Stratonikeia (Caria) ( el, Μητρόδωρος τῆς Στρατονικείας) was at first a disciple of Epicureanism, but afterwards attached himself to

Carneades Carneades (; el, Καρνεάδης, ''Karneadēs'', "of Carnea"; 214/3–129/8 BC) was a Greek philosopher and perhaps the most prominent head of the Skeptical Academy in ancient Greece. He was born in Cyrene. By the year 159 BC, he had beg ...

. His defection from the Epicurean school is almost unique. It is explained by

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...

as being due to his theory that the

scepticism Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...

of Carneades was merely a means of attacking the Stoics on their own ground. Metrodorus held that Carneades was in reality a loyal follower of

Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...

. Cicero speaks of him as an orator of great fire and volubility. He flourished about 110 BC.

, ''Academica'' ii. 6. § 16, 24. § 78.

Notes

References

* {{Authority control Academic philosophers Ancient Skeptic philosophers Epicurean philosophers Hellenistic-era philosophers from Anatolia 2nd-century BC Greek people 2nd-century BC philosophers