Sextus Empiricus and Greek Scepticism.

However, Haas contends¹ that it is unreasonable to suppose that this confusion could go as far as to attribute the writings of Sextus Empiricus to Sextus of Chæronea, and also make the latter a Sceptic; he considers it far more reasonable to accept the testimony of Suidas, as it coincides so well with the internal evidence of the writings of Sextus regarding his native land. It is nevertheless evident, from his familiarity with the customs, language, and laws of Athens, Alexandria, and Rome, that he must have resided at some time in each of these cities.

Of all the problems connected with the historical details of the life of Sextus, the one that is the most difficult to solve, and also the most important for our present purpose of making a critical study of his teaching, is to fix the seat of the Sceptical School during the time that he was in charge of it. The Hypotyposes Outlines of Scepticism are lectures delivered in public during that period of his life. Where, then, were they delivered? We know that the Sceptical School must have had a long-continued existence as a definite philosophical movement, although some have contended otherwise. The fact of its existence as an organized direction of thought is demonstrated by its formulated teachings, by the list given by Diogenes Laertius of its principal leaders,² and by references in the writings of Sextus. In the first book of the Hypotyposes, he refers to Scepticism as a distinct system of philosophy, "and the distinction of Scepticism from the philosophies adjacent to it" original: "καὶ τὴν διάκρισιν τῆς σκέψεως ἀπὸ τῶν παρακειμένων αὐτῇ φιλοσοφιῶν.".³ He speaks also of the "older Sceptics,"⁴ and the "later Sceptics."⁵