About this book
Mary Mills Patrick's foundational study, Sextus Empiricus and Greek Scepticism, explores one of ancient philosophy's most misunderstood intellectual movements. Originally presented as a doctoral thesis at the University of Bern in 1897, this philosophical work fills a crucial gap in English-language scholarship by providing the first comprehensive examination of Pyrrhonism and its most important surviving voice.
Patrick traces the historical development of Greek scepticism from its origins through the Academy, culminating in the teachings of Sextus Empiricus, a second-century physician-philosopher whose works represent our most complete record of Pyrrhonic thought. Rather than dismissing scepticism as mere doubt, Patrick reveals how Pyrrhonism offered a sophisticated philosophical approach to understanding knowledge, belief, and human flourishing. The audiobook includes a landmark translation of the first book of Sextus's Pyrrhonic Sketches, making these ancient ideas directly accessible to modern listeners for the first time.
This work remains essential for anyone seeking to understand how ancient philosophers grappled with fundamental questions about what we can truly know. Whether you're a philosophy student, a classical scholar, or a curious listener interested in the intellectual foundations of Western thought, Patrick's rigorous yet engaging analysis illuminates a school of philosophy whose influence extends far beyond antiquity into contemporary epistemology and critical thinking.
