Sextus Empiricus Quotes & Sayings

To every argument an equal argument is opposed, — Sextus Empiricus

Scepticism is an ability, or mental attitude, which opposes appearances to judgments in any way whatsoever, with the result that,owing to the equipollence of the objects and reasons thus opposed we are brought firstly to a state of mental suspense and next to a state of "unperturbedness" or quietude. — Sextus Empiricus

Plato, quite decadently, wore an earring while young. — Sextus Empiricus

Guard yourself from lying; there is he who deceives and there is he who is deceived. — Sextus Empiricus

The Mode of circular reasoning is the form used when the proof itself which ought to establish the matter of inquiry requires confirmation derived from the matter; in this case, being unable to assume either in order to establish the other, we suspend judgement about both. — Sextus Empiricus

By skepticism ... we arrive first at suspension of judgment, and second at freedom from disturbance. — Sextus Empiricus

Democritus sometimes does away with what appears to the senses, and says that none of these appears according to truth but only according to opinion: the truth in real things is that there are atoms and void. 'By convention sweet', he says, 'by convention bitter, by convention hot, by convention cold, by convention colour: but in reality atoms and void.' — Sextus Empiricus

The skeptic, being a lover of his kind, desires to cure by speech, as best he can, the self-conceit and rashness of the dogmatists. — Sextus Empiricus

Skepticism relieved two terrible diseases that afflicted mankind: anxiety and dogmatism. — Sextus Empiricus

Those who claim for themselves to judge the truth are bound to possess a criterion of truth. This criterion, then, either is without a judge's approval or has been approved. But if it is without approval, whence comes it that it is truthworthy? For no matter of dispute is to be trusted without judging. And, if it has been approved, that which approves it, in turn, either has been approved or has not been approved, and so on ad infinitum. — Sextus Empiricus