Ceticismo Brasileiro?

A Obra de Oswaldo Porchat e o ceticismo antropofágico

Abstract

Oswaldo Porchat stands as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Brazilian philosophy, particularly due to his rigorous engagement with Pyrrhonian skepticism and the legacy of Sextus Empiricus. While his work has been extensively interpreted within the framework of classical skepticism, this article proposes a shift: it aims to examine how Porchat’s philosophical posture may also resonate with specific cultural dynamics of Brazilian society. Drawing on the notion of cultural anthropophagy and, above all, on the thought of Darcy Ribeiro — whose analysis of Brazil as a composite civilization formed by conflicting yet coexisting traditions — the article explores the possibility of a Brazilian-style skepticism. It argues that Porchat’s refusal of dogmatism and his embrace of provisionality echo a broader cultural sensibility rooted in historical processes of mixture, adaptation, and negotiation, as portrayed by Ribeiro’s vision of national identity.