back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 1879

[from 'Outlines of Pyrrhonism' by Sextus Empiricus, in 13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 3. Subjectivism ]

Full Idea

Health is natural for the healthy but unnatural for the sick, and sickness is unnatural for the healthy but natural for the sick, so we must give credence to the natural perceptions of the sick.

Gist of Idea

Sickness is perfectly natural to the sick, so their natural perceptions should carry some weight

Source

Sextus Empiricus (Outlines of Pyrrhonism [c.180], I.103)

Book Reference

Sextus Empiricus: 'Outlines of Pyrrhonism', ed/tr. Bury,R.G. [Prometheus 1990], p.46