# acatalepsy

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acatalepsy
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

the belief that nothing is certain or true. It is a very old idea that people cannot know anything for sure.

For teachers: the philosophical doctrine that nothing is certain or knowable. Often associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Pyrrho and his followers, who argued that all human knowledge is subjective and unreliable.

## Examples

- The philosopher argued for acatalepsy to avoid dogmatism.
- In his treatise, the author explores acatalepsy as a path to achieving inner peace through the rejection of absolute truth.
- While modern epistemology often focuses on the reliability of evidence, the ancient concept of acatalepsy suggests that all human perception is inherently fallible and thus no conclusion can be considered final.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.