Pyrrhonism Pyrrhonism

Pyrrhonism - Definition and Overview

Pyrrhonian skepticism was a school of skepticism founded by Pyrrho in 1st century Alexandria and recorded by Sextus Empiricus in the 3rd century. Pyrrhonism became influential during the past few centuries when the modern scientific worldview was born.

Pyrrhonian skeptics withhold assent with regard to non-evident propositions and remain in a state of perpetual inquiry. For example, Pyrrhonians might assert that a lack of proof cannot constitute disproof, and that a lack of belief is vastly different than a state of active disbelief. Rather than disbelieving in god, psychic powers, etc., based on the lack of evidence of such things, Pyrrhonians recognize that we cannot be certain that new evidence won't turn up in the future, and so they intentionally remain tenative and continue their inquiry. Pyrrhonians also question accepted knowledge, and view dogmatism as a disease of the mind. This tenativeness, questioning, and perpetual inquiry also serve as the foundations of science.

Pyrrhonian skepticism is similar to the form skepticism called Zeteticism promoted by Marcello Truzzi.

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