Essence of skeptical investigation

Philosophy of Sextus Empiricus, the main representatives of ancient Pyrrhonism, suggests a definite way to the common goal for Hellenistic philosophers - happiness, which is understood by Sceptics as tranquility and peace of mind (ataraxia). At the bottom of this way lies a philosophical study on controversial issues about the nature of things. One can see the importance of the investigation for sceptical lifestyle by the name itself - the skeptics, that means investigators, inquisitors. However, a modern researcher G. Palmer cast doubt on the importance of the search for truth in Pyrrhonism and concluded that Sextus Empiricus is not interested in discovering the truth - which Palmer considers as a necessary condition of investigation. Therefore, the search is used only as a defence and a protection from accusations of negative dogmatism. K. Vogt criticizes this interpretation and suggests other premises of understanding the ancient concept of the search, which, in her opinion, were shared by the skeptics, for a better explaining of the Pyrrhonian philosophy. She puts forward as a condition a value of truth premise, according to which an essential quality for the philosophical search is not only the discovery of truth, but also the identification and avoidance of false beliefs. We suggest the following picture of skeptical investigation by developing the idea of K. Vogt, and showing the rootedness of the skeptical method in the ancient philosophical tradition (Gorgias, Socrates, Plato). Sextus defines it as a second-order investigation, it explores not the world, but is investigating the truth and falsity of beliefs, which pretend to apprehend the nature of things. The main opponents are not contemporaries of Sextus, but philosophers of the past. Every belief is investigated with a skeptical modes. A lack of justification of any belief becomes clear through investigation, if it is possible to oppose to him an equal convincing belief among the existing ones, or create one by means of modes. Thus, this procedure eliminates all came to the study untrustworthy beliefs, which may be false and therefore can lead to anxiety. This outcome - refraining from judgments about having equal persuasiveness beliefs - accident leads sceptic to ataraxia. At the same time there is a possibility of finding the truth, if a certain belief will be tested through modes, and will have an irresistible power of persuasion. Thus, a skeptical search satisfies the standard of investigation, that was already mentioned.

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