Physis in Sextus Empiricus and the notion of nature as a guide to life
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31977/grirfi.v19i1.1136Keywords:
Sextus Empiricus; nature; actionAbstract
This paper is divided into two parts. In the first section, after the introduction, we exposed the various occurrences of “physis” throughout Sextus Empiricus’ Outlines of Pyrrhonism, dividing them into 5 categories: (1) "nature" as the real, in contrast to “appearance”; (2) the "natural" as that which seems characteristic, peculiar to something or someone; (3) "Nature" as a creative and guiding agent; (4) the "natural" as opposed to "unnatural"; (5) the "nature of men". The way these various uses appear in the work is invariably critical, as elements of argumentation against the dogmatists, especially the Stoics. In the second part of this paper, however, we show how “physis” also appears positively at the beginning of the Outlines with the guiding function for life, as part of the answer to the famous objection of apraxia. In addition, we defend the hypothesis that “nature”, from Sextus’ point of view, does not oppose nor surpass conventions and customs; on the contrary, nature is what is recognized by all and is even determined by conventions and customs.
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