Here are some points that brought about a new found respect in my mind for Pyrrhonism and overturned a few misconceptions I had about the whole deal :
1. Pyrrhonian Skeptics, unlike the dogmatic skeptics, DO NOT claim that knowledge is impossible.
2. They do not call off continued inquiry because of the belief (which they don't hold) that knowledge is impossible. This is something they attack the so called dogmatic Skeptics for doing. Instead they keep inquiring and tentatively go along with how things appear. How things appear may change because of new discoveries brought about via inquiry.
3. It's not uncommon for people to believe that Pyrrhonians are supposed to suspend all judgements. In reality a Pyrrhonian would merely refrain from making dogmatic judgements. Dogmatic judgements pertain to "things not evident" specifically with things supposedly beyond or behind appearances. Essences, the Noumenon behind phenomenon, "the real fact of the matter beyond appearances", or kantian things in themselves would fall into that classification of things not evident for example. They can and do make judgements regarding appearances- Examples: "That appears to be a cup so I will use it drink water from." or "it appears to me that killing people is immoral so I will refrain from doing so."
4. Pyrrhonian skepticism is not primarily an ideology but rather a skill. Those who practice this skill are apparently able to obtain the state of epoche (suspension of judgment) which in turn leads to ataraxia or peace of mind. In this regard it might be said to have more in common with other skills and arts (like Karate or meditation for example) rather than an ideology or worldview like idealism or marxism. So the goal of Pyrrhonian discourse is not to so much to establish or defend a position but rather to bring about the state of epoche in other people.
"The skeptic, on account of being a lover of his fellow human beings, desires to cure by speech, as best he can, the rashness of the dogmatists. "
They do this so the person can put behind themselves the anxiety of dogmatic belief and just relax in the state of epoche leading to peace of mind. No more need to be certain about things that appear to be beyond ones ability to verify with any certainty in the first place. Just do your best going along with appearances and qualify your assertions with "it appears to me at least that...".
As a person who is really obsessed with finding "the Truth" TM (with a capital T) about everything I can really empathize with the idea that it can cause suffering and anxiety. I have panic attacks and I wonder if they might not even be connected with my search. Now, If I could actually put the skill of Pyrrhonian skepticism into practice I don't know but I can still see and respect the reasoning behind the plan.
1. Pyrrhonian Skeptics, unlike the dogmatic skeptics, DO NOT claim that knowledge is impossible.
2. They do not call off continued inquiry because of the belief (which they don't hold) that knowledge is impossible. This is something they attack the so called dogmatic Skeptics for doing. Instead they keep inquiring and tentatively go along with how things appear. How things appear may change because of new discoveries brought about via inquiry.
3. It's not uncommon for people to believe that Pyrrhonians are supposed to suspend all judgements. In reality a Pyrrhonian would merely refrain from making dogmatic judgements. Dogmatic judgements pertain to "things not evident" specifically with things supposedly beyond or behind appearances. Essences, the Noumenon behind phenomenon, "the real fact of the matter beyond appearances", or kantian things in themselves would fall into that classification of things not evident for example. They can and do make judgements regarding appearances- Examples: "That appears to be a cup so I will use it drink water from." or "it appears to me that killing people is immoral so I will refrain from doing so."
4. Pyrrhonian skepticism is not primarily an ideology but rather a skill. Those who practice this skill are apparently able to obtain the state of epoche (suspension of judgment) which in turn leads to ataraxia or peace of mind. In this regard it might be said to have more in common with other skills and arts (like Karate or meditation for example) rather than an ideology or worldview like idealism or marxism. So the goal of Pyrrhonian discourse is not to so much to establish or defend a position but rather to bring about the state of epoche in other people.
"Skepticism is not theoretical but therapeutic. Its purpose is not to establish a truth but to bring about a change of mind in the reader from a state of belief to one of suspense, which it can do perfectly well without resorting to proofs. Even when the skeptic uses things that look like proofs, he does so only provisionally. "such that they are able to cross themselves out on their own,' like a cathartic drug that purges itself along with the disease.' "
Suspension of judgment is not a decision, strictly speaking, but a spontaneous psychological event brought on by the conflict of impressions, ....
The Tropes [ used by skeptics to bring doubt on dogmatic assertions] do not prove that knowledge is impossible; but they do not need to and are not meant to. The induce the suspension of judgement much as a lullaby induces sleep or a scary story induces panic."
- Essays on Skepticism, Relativism, and Ethics in the Zhuangzi
...or as Sextus Empiricus puts it:Suspension of judgment is not a decision, strictly speaking, but a spontaneous psychological event brought on by the conflict of impressions, ....
The Tropes [ used by skeptics to bring doubt on dogmatic assertions] do not prove that knowledge is impossible; but they do not need to and are not meant to. The induce the suspension of judgement much as a lullaby induces sleep or a scary story induces panic."
- Essays on Skepticism, Relativism, and Ethics in the Zhuangzi
"The skeptic, on account of being a lover of his fellow human beings, desires to cure by speech, as best he can, the rashness of the dogmatists. "
They do this so the person can put behind themselves the anxiety of dogmatic belief and just relax in the state of epoche leading to peace of mind. No more need to be certain about things that appear to be beyond ones ability to verify with any certainty in the first place. Just do your best going along with appearances and qualify your assertions with "it appears to me at least that...".
As a person who is really obsessed with finding "the Truth" TM (with a capital T) about everything I can really empathize with the idea that it can cause suffering and anxiety. I have panic attacks and I wonder if they might not even be connected with my search. Now, If I could actually put the skill of Pyrrhonian skepticism into practice I don't know but I can still see and respect the reasoning behind the plan.
