The Demands of Reason : An Essay on Pyrrhonian Scepticism

Sextus Empiricus' Outlines of Pyrrhonism is one of the most important and influential texts in the history of Greek philosophy. In The Demands of Reason Casey Perin exams those aspects of Pyrrhonian Scepticism as Sextus describes it in the Outlines that are of special philosophical significance: its commitment to the search for truth and to certain principles of rationality, its scope, and its consequences for action and agency. Perin argues that the Sceptic is engaged in the search for truth and that since this is so, the Sceptic aims to satisfy certain basic rational requirements. He explains how the fact that the Sceptic has this aim makes it necessary, as Sextus says it is, for the Sceptic to suspend judgment under certain conditions. Perin defends an interpretation of the scope of Scepticism according to which the Sceptic has no beliefs about how things are rather than merely appear to him to be. He then explores whether, and how, Sextus can respond to the objection that since the Sceptic lacks beliefs of this kind, he cannot act and Scepticism is not, as Sextus claims it is, a possible way of life. Sextus Empiricus' Outlines of Pyrrhonism is one of the most important and influential texts in the history of Greek philosophy. This book examines those aspects of Pyrrhonian Scepticism as Sextus describes it in the Outlines —its commitment to the search for truth and to certain principles of rationality, its scope, and its consequences for action and agency—that are of special philosophical significance. It argues that the Sceptic is engaged in the search for truth and that since this is so, the Sceptic aims to satisfy certain basic rational requirements. This book explains how the fact that the Sceptic has this aim makes it necessary , as Sextus says it is, for the Sceptic to suspend judgement under certain conditions. It defends an interpretation of the scope of Scepticism according to which the Sceptic has no beliefs about how things are rather than merely appear to him to be. It then explores whether, and how, Sextus can respond to the objection that since the Sceptic lacks beliefs of this kind, he cannot act and Scepticism is not, as Sextus claims it is, a possible way of life Contents 10 Introduction 12 1. The Search for Truth 18 2. Necessity and Rationality 44 3. The Scope of Scepticism 70 4. Appearances and Action 97 Conclusion 125 Bibliography 133 Index 138 Index of Passages 138 General Index 139 A 139 B 139 C 140 D 140 E 140 F 140 G 140 H 140 I 140 J 140 K 140 L 140 M 140 N 140 O 140 P 140 R 140 S 140 T 141 V 141 W 141 X 141 019955790X,9780199557905 Contents......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1. The Search for Truth......Page 18 2. Necessity and Rationality......Page 44 3. The Scope of Scepticism......Page 70 4. Appearances and Action......Page 97 Conclusion......Page 125 Bibliography......Page 133 Index of Passages......Page 138 B......Page 139 S......Page 140 X......Page 141 Casey Perin presents a new interpretation of key ideas and arguments in Sextus Empiricus' 'Outlines of Pyrrhonism', a founding text of the sceptical tradition in philosophy.