Arcesilaus was born in Pitane, a Greek city on the coast of Asia Minor. In Athens, after a period of study with Theophrastus—Aristotle's successor as head of the Peripatos—he joined the Academy, Plato's school, which was then dominated by Crantor, Polemon, and Crates. Arcesilaus succeeded Crates, Polemon's successor, as head of the Academy and was responsible for the school's turn to skepticism. From this point, the skeptical examination of other schools' theories replaced the elaboration of its own positive doctrines as the Academy's principal occupation. This change in the Academy's direction is recognized in the ancient tradition that credits Arcesilaus with founding the second or Middle Academy, which replaced the first or Old Academy and gave way in turn to the third or New Academy of Carneades.

Like Socrates before him and Carneades after him, Arcesilaus wrote nothing, but made his mark...