Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Pyrrhonism (in Greek)

In Outlines of Pyrrhonism Sextus enthusiastically expounds and argues for a thorough-going scepticism. He thinks that we should suspend judgment about absolutely everything: most modern sceptics look pale by comparison. Many of Sextus's arguments are taken over from earlier sceptical philosophers, in a tradition going back to Pyrrho of Elis (c. 360- c. 270 B.C.). Scepticism was a major force in Hellenistic philosophy, in particular in the Academy from the 3rd century B.C. It took various forms, some more sceptical than others. One of the more extreme (he would have said: more consistent) sceptics was Aenesidemus (1st century B.C.), one of Sextus's principal sources. Sextus also preserves a great deal of information about the non-sceptical, 'Dogmatic' philosophies of the period, Stoicism and Epicureanism in particular. The diffusion of Sextus's text in the sixteenth century was crucial in the revolution in philosophy that produced Descartes' Meditations, and that set much of the agenda for modern philosophy. The examination includes a compulsory question with passages for translation and critical comment, as well as essay questions. You will be expected to have read the work in Greek.

Julia Annas and Jonathan Barnes, The Modes of Scepticism, sections 1 and 2. Text: Bury (Loeb). Translation: Julia Annas and Jonathan Barnes in Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Scepticism (Cambridge).