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greek-epistemologyfeatured in 12 works

Suspension of Judgment

The Skeptic's deliberate refusal to commit — neither affirming nor denying, but suspending judgment when the evidence on both sides looks evenly matched.

Epoche, the 'suspension of judgment,' is the signature stance of ancient Skepticism, developed by Pyrrho's followers, systematized by Sextus Empiricus, and paralleled in the Academy. When the arguments on either side of a question seem equally strong, the Skeptic simply withholds assent rather than dogmatically picking a side. The Pyrrhonists held that this very suspension brings ataraxia, or tranquility — making epoche not just an intellectual move but a path to peace of mind.

How it traveled

  1. Academica
    Formiae · -45
    explains
  2. Lucullus
    Formiae · -43
    explains
  3. Adversus Coloten
    Chaeronea · 95
    explains
  4. Adversus Mathematicos
    Alexandria · 190
    explains
  5. Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes
    Alexandria · 210
    explains
  6. Vitae philosophorum
    — · 240
    explains
  7. Praeparatio Evangelica
    —
    explains
  8. Suidae lexicon
    —
    explains
  9. Stromata
    —
    explains
  10. De optima doctrina [attributed]
    Rome
    explains
  11. Fragmenta Logica et Physica
    Athens
    explains
  12. Fragmenta
    Apamea
    explains

Key passages(20)

Origin Anchor — gr-epoche↗origin

Fragments & Testimonia · Pyrrho

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Chrysippus, Fragmenta Logica et Physica 121↗challenges

Fragmenta Logica et Physica · Chrysippus

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Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 8.5.15↗challenges

Stromata · Clement of Alexandria

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Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 8.7.22↗explains

Stromata · Clement of Alexandria

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Numenius of Apamea, Fragmenta 3↗explains

Fragmenta · Numenius of Apamea

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Sextus Empiricus, Adversus Mathematicos 11.168↗explains

Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Adversus Mathematicos 8.159↗explains

Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Adversus Mathematicos 8.298↗explains

Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Adversus Mathematicos 8.363↗explains

Adversus Mathematicos · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.12.26↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.12.29↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.13.31↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.14.134↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.14.59↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.20.192↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.23.197↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.33.232↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.4.10↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 1.4.8↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes 2.22.253↗explains

Pyrrhoniae Hypotyposes · Sextus Empiricus

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