Sextus Empiricus

As we turn to the issue of atheism, I believe some framework is necessary. Atheism is typically defined as a lack of belief in God and it is in the definition of God that the issue arises. Clearly, the two philosophers have a different definition of the word God. As hopefully made clear in the second and third paragraph, Spinoza thinks that God is an impersonal summation of all things (i.e. substance), while Berkeley thinks that God is a personal, thinking thing responsible for but distinct from ideas. If atheism is defined by a lack of belief in Berkeley's God, then Spinoza is an atheist. Yet Spinoza does not operate on this definition, so he would think the label of atheist unfair. I am not going to claim that one definition is more correct than the other, only that the validity of Berkeley's criticism depends on which one you use. There is a very important aspect of Berkeley's criticism that I have yet to deal with, one which his entire criticism relies on, and that is that atheism and skepticism must be avoided. If an argument does not end in absolute certainty and a belief in God, then they are unworthy of believing in. Not only is Berkeley certain of this fact, but Hylas, his mouthpiece for the materialists, is also quite sure of the fact that skepticism “draw[s]… some consequences of general disadvantage to mankind”. If we disagree with this premise, then almost all of Berkeley’s criticism against Spinoza cannot really be considered criticism, apart from that Spinoza…

Shakespeare conveys his message of the virtuous in the world being trampled by the evil that subsists through his use of personification and other literary devices. In lines 25-28 Shakespeare likens Lucrece to beauty and honor with the words “Against the golden splendour of the sun; Anexpir’d date, cancell’d ere well begun: Honour and beauty, in the owner’s arms, Are weakly fortress’d from a world of harms” (Shakespeare, 25-28). Lucrece’s morally upright character shone in the light of the sun…

These artworks from the Roman Republic and Empire, 509 BCE- 313 BCE, titled Pont du Gard in France by an Unknown artist, Coliseum in Rome by an Unknown artist, Pantheon, Rome by unknown artist also and the Basilica of Maxentius Constantine by an unknown artist as well. This architectural works led to the creation of some new architectural works and ideas such as: arch, Vault Concrete dome and Basilica plan just to mention few. Am aqueduct is an ancient invention of the Greeks that was used…

“With these grand structures, so numerous and indispensable, carrying so many waters, who indeed would compare the idle Pyramids or other useless, although renowned, works of the Greeks?” – Sextus Frontius in reference to Pliny. “It must be admitted, this is the greatest wonder the world has ever seen” – Pliny, NH XXXVI, 24, 123 Ancient Rome is famously known for its intricate water management systems such as its baths, artificial pools, reservoirs, irrigation channels and other similar…

The concept knowledge varies from philosopher to philosopher and reader to reader. Some philosophers have said that knowledge can not be obtained by man. Others have said that all knowledge already exists in men. There are even some philosophers that have said that we can never be certain of what exists and therefore the search for knowledge is continuous. The philosophies of Plato state that because the soul is immortal, man has all knowledge. However, Sextus Empiricus does not agree with this.…

II. Description of Pyrrhonism Skepticism The pyrrhonist skeptics arose sometime around the fourth century BCE and were made popular by Sextus Empiricus around the third century CE. The pyrrhonists were in conflict with two other philosophical schools, named the dogmatists and the academics. The dogmatists claimed that they have discovered truth, and thus know and hold truth. Sextus claims that Plato and Aristotle can be labeled as dogmatists. In contrast, the academics negate the dogmatists and…

that Earth has seen more terrible catastrophes yet it has still managed to retain a certain equilibrium for thousands of years, which can only prove the existence that harmony does exist or we would’ve collapsed into chaos long ago. 2) On Sextus Empiricus and Epictetus, what are their conceptions of “happiness” or “peace of mind,” how are these achieved, and why do you prefer one rather than the other, or do you reject both because you are in favor of something else, or do you in some way…

Sextus Empiricus in Skepticism raises some interesting points about the life of a skeptic. A skeptic withholds all judgement in an effort to obtain ultimate tranquility. Empiricus makes a statement about all the other types of people who are not skeptics, “for the person who entertains the opinion that anything is by nature good or bad is continually disturbed” (Empiricus 357). A less drastic alternative could be proposed for those who are not skeptics to consider rather than reject skepticism…

What is my purpose? Since I’ve known how to talk, read, and write I’ve longed to know what my purpose in my existence is. I guess you can say, I’m looking for freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety. In other words I am searching for what will help me achieve Ataraxia. This concept has been derived from the Greek philosophers. However, my personal Ataraxia has longed for the answer to God’s existence. The philosophies I will entail within my research paper are; The Pragmatic Theory,…

we can sort the truth from the fallacies. Chisholm manages this by laying out a procedure to sort true beliefs from false beliefs and setting fair conditions on the particularist’s method. The problem of the criterion, as laid out by Chisholm is “the vicious circle” (1982, p. 61) or descending into an infinite regress. To distinguish true cases of knowledge, Chisholm highlights what Cardinal Mercer has to say on this topic: that “criterion should satisfy three conditions: it should be internal,…