the act of withholding our assent from any proposition, on suspicion that we are not thoroughly apprised of the merits thereof, or from not being able peremptorily to decide between the reasons for and against it.

Doubting is distinguished by the schoolmen into two kinds, dubitatio florilis, and dubitatio efficax. The former is that where no determination ensues; in this manner the Sceptics and Academics doubt, who withhold their assent from every thing. See SCEPTICS, &c.

The latter is followed by judgment, which distinguishes truth from falsehood; such is the doubting of the Peripatetics and Cartesians. The last in particular are perpetually inculcating the deceitfulness of our senses, and tell us that we are to doubt of every one of their reports, till they have been examined and confirmed by reason. On the other hand, the Epicureans teach, that our senses always tell truth; and that, if you go ever so little from them, you come within the province of doubting. See CARTESIANS, EPICUREANS, &c.

in rhetoric, a figure whereon the orator appears some time fluctuating, and undetermined what to do or say. Tacitus furnishes us with an instance of doubting, almost to a degree of distraction, in those words of Tiberius written to the senate: Quid scribam, P. S. aut quomodo scribam, aut quid omnino non scribam hoc tempore, dixi me deaque pejus perdant quam periisse quotidie sentio, si scio.