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Single Idea 1871

[filed under theme 11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 1. Perceptual Realism / c. Representative realism ]

Full Idea

Honey appears to sceptics to be sweet, but whether it is also sweet in its essence is for us a matter of doubt, since this is not an appearance but a judgement.

Gist of Idea

Whether honey is essentially sweet may be doubted, as it is a matter of judgement rather than appearance

Source

Sextus Empiricus (Outlines of Pyrrhonism [c.180], I.20)

Book Ref

Sextus Empiricus: 'Outlines of Pyrrhonism', ed/tr. Bury,R.G. [Prometheus 1990], p.22

The 37 ideas from 'Outlines of Pyrrhonism'

1878 Water that seems lukewarm can seem very hot on inflamed skin [Sext.Empiricus]
1879 Sickness is perfectly natural to the sick, so their natural perceptions should carry some weight [Sext.Empiricus]
1880 Some actions seem shameful when sober but not when drunk [Sext.Empiricus]
1881 The same oar seems bent in water and straight when out of it [Sext.Empiricus]
1870 The basis of scepticism is the claim that every proposition has an equal opposing proposition [Sext.Empiricus]
1882 The necks of doves appear different in colour depending on the angle of viewing [Sext.Empiricus]
1871 Whether honey is essentially sweet may be doubted, as it is a matter of judgement rather than appearance [Sext.Empiricus]
1872 The same tower appears round from a distance, but square close at hand [Sext.Empiricus]
1873 If we press the side of an eyeball, objects appear a different shape [Sext.Empiricus]
1874 How can we judge between our impressions and those of other animals, when we ourselves are involved? [Sext.Empiricus]
1876 If we enjoy different things, presumably we receive different impressions [Sext.Empiricus]
1877 If we had no hearing or sight, we would assume no sound or sight exists, so there may be unsensed qualities [Sext.Empiricus]
1884 If we utter three steps of a logical argument, they never exist together [Sext.Empiricus]
12196 A valid hypothetical syllogism is 'that which does not begin with a truth and end with a falsehood' [Sext.Empiricus]
1885 Proof moves from agreed premises to a non-evident inference [Sext.Empiricus]
1886 If you don't view every particular, you may miss the one which disproves your universal induction [Sext.Empiricus]
1887 You cannot divide anything into many parts, because after the first division you are no longer dividing the original [Sext.Empiricus]
1889 If an argument has an absurd conclusion, we should not assent to the absurdity, but avoid the absurd argument [Sext.Empiricus]
1890 We distinguish ambiguities by seeing what is useful [Sext.Empiricus]
1883 How can the intellect know if sensation is reliable if it doesn't directly see external objects? [Sext.Empiricus]
1902 Since Socrates either died when he was alive (a contradiction) or died when he was dead (meaningless), he didn't die [Sext.Empiricus]
1894 Some say that causes are physical, some say not [Sext.Empiricus]
1903 If motion and rest are abolished, so is time [Sext.Empiricus]
1904 Time must be unlimited, but past and present can't be non-existent, and can't be now, so time does not exist [Sext.Empiricus]
1905 How can time be divisible if we can't compare one length of time with another? [Sext.Empiricus]
1895 Causes are either equal to the effect, or they link equally with other causes, or they contribute slightly [Sext.Empiricus]
1896 If there were no causes then everything would have been randomly produced by everything [Sext.Empiricus]
1910 With us it is shameful for men to wear earrings, but among Syrians it is considered noble [Sext.Empiricus]
1897 Knowing an effect results from a cause means knowing that the cause belongs with the effect, which is circular [Sext.Empiricus]
1911 Even if all known nations agree on a practice, there may be unknown nations which disagree [Sext.Empiricus]
1898 Cause can't exist before effect, or exist at the same time, so it doesn't exist [Sext.Empiricus]
1891 How can we agree on the concept of God, unless we agree on his substance or form or place? [Sext.Empiricus]
1892 The existence of God can't be self-evident or everyone would have agreed on it, so it needs demonstration [Sext.Empiricus]
1899 Does the original self-mover push itself from behind, or pull itself from in front? [Sext.Empiricus]
1900 If time and place are infinitely divided, it becomes impossible for movement ever to begin [Sext.Empiricus]
1901 If all atoms, times and places are the same, everything should move with equal velocity [Sext.Empiricus]
1893 If God foresaw evil he would presumably prevent it, and if he only foresees some things, why those things? [Sext.Empiricus]