Skepticism and Neoplatonism

The 4th century B.C. philosopher Pyrrho and his followers believed that we can ever really know anything for certain (even this) and should not try to.  Even experts disagree, so nobody can be sure they know a subject perfectly.  All species sense the world differently and it seems impossible to judge which way of experiencing it is most correct.  Given their very different tastes, each individual seems also to experience the world differently, and who can say who is right?  There is also the problem of the criterion: what neutral way can ever be found for settling disagreement about what is true or whether anything is true?

Our choices therefore are arbitrary dogmatism or suspending judgement.  The latter is less unjustified and leads to peace of mind, so it is the better choice.

Neoplatonism is associated with such people as Plotinus (204-270 A.D.).  Plotinus believed in a kind of god, or "the One", partly as a result of mystical experiences.  The One is like Plato's Form of the Good.  It is so good and so real that it emanates being and goodness as a candle emits light.  Thus there is a Great Chain of Being from the most real and best (the One) through humans, plants, animals, and finally minerals.