Origens do ceticismo da Nova Academia: Uma herança socrática

This article analyzes the origins of New Academy skepticism, arguing that it should not be understood as a rupture with the Platonic tradition, but rather as a critical continuation of the investigative attitude inaugurated by Socrates and developed in Plato’s dialogues. Through an analysis of the main figures of the Academy’s skeptical phase, Arcesilaus and Carneades, it is maintained that epokhē (suspension of judgment) and the rejection of dogmatic doctrines do not represent an abandonment of Platonism, but rather its methodological radicalization. Instead of proposing an alternative system, the Academics revive Socrates’ investigative impulse and explore the aporetic nature of Platonic dialogues. Drawing on ancient sources (such as Cicero, Sextus Empiricus, and Diogenes Laërtius) and engaging with modern interpreters, the article argues that the New Academy strategically reinterprets the Platonic legacy, confronting contemporary dogmatisms, especially Stoicism, without renouncing the philosophical ideal of a critical search for truth.