Suspension of Judgment
The Skeptic's deliberate refusal to commit — neither affirming nor denying, but suspending judgment when the evidence on both sides looks evenly matched.
Epoche, the 'suspension of judgment,' is the signature stance of ancient Skepticism, developed by Pyrrho's followers, systematized by Sextus Empiricus, and paralleled in the Academy. When the arguments on either side of a question seem equally strong, the Skeptic simply withholds assent rather than dogmatically picking a side. The Pyrrhonists held that this very suspension brings ataraxia, or tranquility — making epoche not just an intellectual move but a path to peace of mind.
How it traveled
- AcademicaFormiae · -45explains
- LucullusFormiae · -43explains
- Adversus ColotenChaeronea · 95explains
- Adversus MathematicosAlexandria · 190explains
- Pyrrhoniae HypotyposesAlexandria · 210explains
- Vitae philosophorum— · 240explains
- Praeparatio Evangelica—explains
- Suidae lexicon—explains
- Stromata—explains
- De optima doctrina [attributed]Romeexplains
- Fragmenta Logica et PhysicaAthensexplains
- FragmentaApameaexplains
Key passages(20)
Fragmenta Logica et Physica · Chrysippus
Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus
Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus
Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus
Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus
Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
For the Sceptic, having set out to philosophize with the object of passing judgement on the sense-impressions and ascertaining which of them are true and which false, so as to attain quietude thereby,
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
So, too, the Sceptics were in hopes of gaining quietude by means of a decision regarding the disparity of the objects of sense and of thought, and being unable to effect this they suspended judgement;
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
Now that we have been saying that tranquillity follows on suspension of judgement, it will be our next task to explain how we arrive at this suspension. Speaking generally, one may say that it is the
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
Thus the argument from quantities and compositions causes confusion as to the real nature of the external substances. Probably, therefore, this Mode also will bring us round to suspension of judgement
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
But if the same things appear different owing to the variety in animals, we shall, indeed, be able to state our own impressions of the real object, but as to its essential nature we shall suspend judg
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
Concerning non-assertion what we say is this. The term ‟assertion” has two senses, general and special; used in the general sense it indicates affirmation or negation, as for example ‟It is day,” ‟It
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
Regarding the phrase ‟I determine nothing” this is what we say. We hold that ‟to determine” is not simply to state a thing but to put forward something non-evident combined with assent. For in this se
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
Arcesilaus, however, who was, as we said, the president and founder of the Middle Academy, certainly seems to me to have shared the doctrines of Pyrrho, so that his Way of thought is almost identical
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
The phrase ‟opposed judgements” we do not employ in the sense of negations and affirmations only but simply as equivalent to ‟conflicting judgements.” ‟Equipollence” we use of equality in respect of p
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
Scepticism is an ability, or mental attitude, which opposes appearances to judgements in any way whatsoever, with the result that, owing to the equipollence of the objects and reasons thus opposed, we
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Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus
So whenever such an argument is propounded to us we shall suspend judgement regarding each premiss, and when finally the whole argument is propounded we shall draw what conclusions we approve. And if
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