How did Montaigne and Francisco Sanches use skepticism to question knowledge claims?

In the 16th century, Michel de Montaigne and Francisco Sanches utilized skepticism to challenge the validity of human knowledge claims, arguing that such claims are inherently dubious.1

In his Apology for Raimond Sebond, Montaigne employed skeptical arguments to demonstrate the futility of human reason. He concluded that because knowledge is unreliable, individuals should instead live according to nature and custom while accepting religious revelation through faith.21

Sanches, in his work Quod nihil scitur ("Why Nothing Can Be Known"), offered a more systematic critique. He argued that true knowledge is impossible because:
* Human sense faculties are unreliable and cannot grasp the true nature of things.3
* The world is in constant flux, and because all things are interconnected, one cannot truly understand a single object without understanding the entire causal chain of the universe.3
* Exhaustive, certain knowledge is a capacity belonging to God alone.3

While Montaigne leaned toward fideism, Sanches advocated for a "constructive skepticism," suggesting that while absolute truth is unattainable, humans should pursue limited, practical information through empirical scientific means.13