The Epicurean and Skeptic Ways of Life
The Epicurean and Skeptic Ways of Life
This chapter discusses the Epicurean and Pyrrhonian skeptic ways of life. It argues that the Epicurean life, however much grounded in the results of philosophical analysis and argument, and however much the psychological motivation provided by firm belief in these results steers Epicureans in living their life, that life cannot be said to involve, in any essential way, the practice of philosophy, that is, of philosophical reflection, analysis, discussion, and argument. The skeptic life, however, beyond its conformism so far as issues of daily life, morality, religion, politics, and so on, may go, also includes a devotion to philosophical discussion and investigation. Skeptics appear to live their lives in a very delicate balance between living as Sextus describes, following his fourfold direction (and also devoting lots of attention to philosophy), and worrying about what would happen to their lives if ever their skill of counterbalancing arguments should fail to undermine an argument of philosophy.
Keywords: Epicurus, Pyrrhonian skepticism, skeptics, ancient philosophy, human life, Sextus Empiricus
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