Outlines of Pyrrhonism: Sextus Empiricus (Great Books in Philosophy)

Throughout history philosophers have sought to define, understand, and delineate concepts important to human well-being. One such concept is "knowledge." Many philosophers believed that absolute, certain knowledge, is possible-that the physical world and ideas formulated about it could be given solid foundation unaffected by the varieties of mere opinion.Sextus Empiricus stands as an example of the "skeptic" school of thought whose members believed that knowledge was either unattainable or, if a genuine possibility, the conditions necessary to achieve it were next to impossible to satisfy. In other words, in the absence of complete knowledge, one must make do with the information provided by an imperfect world and conveyed to the mind through sense impressions that can often deceive us. Throughout his life Sextus Empiricus entered into intellectual combat with those who confidently claimed to possess indubitable knowledge. For skeptics, the best one can hope to achieve is a reasonable suspension of judgment-remaining ever mindful that claims to knowledge require careful scrutiny, thoughtful analysis, and critical review if we are to prevent ourselves and others from plunging headlong into mistaken notions. Cover Contents BOOK I I. Of the Main Difference between Philosophic Systems II. Of the Arguments of Skepticism III. Of the Nomenclature of Skepticism IV. What Skepticism Is V. Of the Skeptic VI. Of the Principles of Skepticism VII. Does the Skeptic Dogmatize? VIII. Has the Skeptic a Doctrinal Rule? IX. Does the Skeptic Deal with Physics? X. Do the Skeptics Abolish Appearances? XI. Of the Criterion of Skepticism XII. What is the End of Skepticism XIII. Of the General Modes Leading to Suspension of Judgment XIV. Concerning the Ten Modes XV. Of the Five Modes XVI. Of the Two Modes XVII. Of the Modes by Which the Etiologists are Confuted XVIII. Of the Skeptic Expressions or Formulae XIX. Of the Expression *Not More" XX. Of “Aphasia” or Nonassertion XXI. Of the Expressions "Perhaps," “Possibly,” and “Maybe” XXII. Of the Expression “I Suspend Judgment” XXIII. Of the Expression “I Determine Nothing” XXIV. Of the Expression “All Things are Undetermined” XXV. Of the Expression “All Things are Nonapprehensible” XXVI. Of the Expressions “I Am Nonapprehensive" and “I Apprehend Not” XXVII. Of the Phrase “To Every Argument An Equal Argument Is Opposed” XXVIII. Supplementary Notes on the Skeptic Expressions XXIX. That the Skeptic Way of Thought Differs from the Heracleitean Philosophy XXX. Wherein the Skeptic Way Differs from the Democritean Philosophy XXXI. Wherein Skepticism Differs from Cyrenaicism XXXII. Wherein Skepticism Differs from the Protagorean Doctrine XXXIII. Wherein Skepticism Differs from the Academic Philosophy XXXIV. Whether Medical Empiricism Is the Same as Skepticism BOOK II I. Can the Skeptic Investigate the Statements of the Dogmatists? II. The Starting Point for Criticism of the Dogmatists III. Of the Criterion IV. Does a Criterion of Truth Really Exist? V. Of the Criterion “By Whom,” or Agent VI. Of the Criterion “By Means of Which” (or Instrument) VII. Of the Criterion “According to Which” VIII. Of the True and Truth IX. Does Anything True Really Exist? X. Concerning Sign XI. Does an Indicative Sign Exist? XII. Of Proof XIII. Does Proof Exist? XIV. Concerning Syllogisms XV. Concerning Induction XVI. Concerning Definitions XVII. Concerning Division XVIII. Concerning the Division of a Name into Things Signified XIX. Concerning Whole and Part XX. Of Genera and Species XXI. Concerning Common Properties XXII. Concerning Sophisms BOOK III I. Of the Physical Division II. Of Efficient Principles III. Concerning God IV. Concerning Cause V. Does Anything Cause Anything? VI. Concerning Material Principles VII. Are Bodies Apprehensible? VIII. Concerning Mixture IX. Concerning Motion X. Concerning Transient Motion XI. Concerning Increase and Decrease XII. Concerning Subtraction and Addition XIII. Concerning Transposition XIV. Concerning Whole and Part XV. Concerning Physical Change XVI. Concerning Becoming and Perishing XVII. Concerning Rest XVIII. Concerning Space XIX. Concerning Time XX. Concerning Number XXI. Concerning the Ethical Division of Philosophy XXII. Concerning Things Good, Bad, and Indifferent XXIII. Is Anything by Nature Good, Bad, or Indifferent? XXIV. What Is the So-Called Art of Living? XXV. Does There Exist an Art of Living? XXVI. Does the Art of Living Arise in Mankind? XXVII. Is the Art of Living Capable of Being Taught? XXVIII. Does a Matter of Instruction Exist? XXIX. Do the Teacher and the Learner Exist? XXX. Does There Exist any Method of Learning? XXXI. Does the Art of Living Benefit its Possessor? XXXII. Why the Skeptic Sometimes Purposely Propounds Arguments Which Are Lacking in Power of Persuasion The natural result of any investigation is that the investigation either discover the object of search or deny that it is discoverable and confess it to be inapprehensible or persist in their search.