Sextus Empiricus was a Greek physician most
likely connected with one of the great schools in
Athens,Alexandria, or Rome. The ideas set forth in
his Outlines of Pyrrhonism form the basis of our
understanding of the philosophy of skepticism as
founded by Pyrrho (ca. 360–270 B.C.). The
philosophies of SOCRATES, PLATO, and ARISTOTLE,
though not strictly Pyrrhonian in practice, also
rest on the exercise of doubt and inquiry to advance
knowledge and discover truth. For Sextus,
the practice of skepticism required setting one
judgment against another, or contrasting one appearance
with another, to successively undermine
the validity of any form of knowledge and finally
reach a suspension of judgment. Only in this manner
could one avoid dogmatism. The ultimate goal
of skeptical inquiry was to achieve ataraxia, a state
of unperturbedness equated with peaceful living
and tranquility. Two other contemporary philosophies,
those of the Stoics and of EPICURUS, sought
the same end but through slightly different means.
In total, 11 books by Sextus survive, in which he
applies his trademark skeptical methodology to
the fields of logic, physics, natural philosophy, and
ethics. Against the Physicists (sometimes translated
as Against the Mathematicians) and Against the Logicians
(also known as Against the Dogmatists, or
Against the Professors) have been translated and
studied by generations of scholars. The rediscovery
of Sextus’s works in Europe in the 16th century influenced
other skeptics such as Michel de Montaigne
and René Descartes.
English Versions of Works by
Sextus Empiricus
Against the Ethicists. Translated by Richard Bett. Oxford,
U.K.: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Against the Grammarians. Translated by David L.
Blank. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Outlines of Pyrrhonism: Sextus Empiricus. Translated
by R. G. Bury. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books,
1990.
Works about Sextus Empiricus
Bailey, Alan. Sextus Empiricus and Pyrrhonian Skepticism.
Oxford, U.K.: Clarendon Press, 2002.
Floridi, Luciano. Sextus Empiricus: The Transmission
and Recovery of Pyrrhonism. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2002.
Hallie, Philip P., ed. Sextus Empiricus: Selections from
the Major Writings on Scepticism,Man, & God. Indianapolis,
Ind.: Hackett Publishing, 1985.