the ancient "skeptic" (from a Greek verb meaning "to examine carefully") was an "investigator." it was someone who investigated the questions of philosophy but "suspended judgment" because it was unable to resolve the contrary attitudes, opinions and arguments that characterized the debated topics of philosophy and unable to arrive at a definitive position on any of them. instead of adhering to some standard philosophical position, the skeptic therefore described itself as someone who continues to investigate -- a "zetetic."
"skepticism is an ability to place in antithesis, in any manner whatever, appearances and judgments, and thus-because of the equality of force in the objects and arguments opposed-come first of all to a suspension of judgment and then to mental tranquillity".
(Sextus Empiricus) |
