Academica

by Marcus Tullius Cicero

"Academica" by Marcus Tullius Cicero is a philosophical work written in 45 BCE. This fragmentary text presents over 250 years of debates between Stoics and Academic Skeptics about the nature of knowledge and certainty. Written during personal turmoil following his daughter's death, Cicero uses dialogue format to champion Academic Skepticism against rival philosophical schools. The work survives in pieces from two editions, preserving ancient arguments about whether certain knowledge is possible and how we should approach truth.