Sextus Empiricus: The Modes 333But he cannot do so without these, since he will be unconvincing; nor
can he do so with these. For if he is going to judge presentations, he
will certainly judge them by means of a criterion. 115. So he will say
either that this criterion is true or that it is false. But if he says that it
is false, he will be unconvincing. And if he says that it is true, either he
will say that the criterion is true without a demonstration or with one,
and it will certainly be necessary for the demonstration to be true, since
[otherwise] he will be unconvincing. So he will say that the demonstration
which is used to confirm the criterion is true; will he say this after judging
it or not? 116. For if he does so without judging, he will be untrustworthy,
but if he does so after judging, it is obvious that he will say that he made
the judgement by means of a criterion, for which criterion we shall seek
a demonstration, and then a criterion for that [demonstration]. For the
demonstration will always need a criterion to be confirmed, and the
criterion [will always need] a demonstration to be shown to be true. And
a demonstration cannot be sound without a pre-existing true criterion;
neither can a criterion be true without a previously confirmed demonstra-
tion. 117. And thus the criterion and the demonstration fall into the
mode of circular reasoning, in which both are found to be unconvincing.
For each of them awaits the confirmation of the other, and so is just as
unconvincing as the other. So if one is not in a position to prefer one
presentation over another with a demonstration and a criterion, nor
without these things, then the different presentations occasioned by dif-
ferent dispositions will be undecidable; consequently as far as concerns
this mode too suspension of judgement is introduced about the nature
of external things.
- [5] The fifth argument is that which depends on positions and
distances and places. For because of each of these the same things appear
different; for example, the same colonnade appears [to be] tapered when
viewed from one end, but quite symmetrical when viewed from the
middle, and the same ship appears small and stationary from a distance
but from closer it appears large and moving. And the same tower from
a distance appears round, but from close up it appears square. - These are the effects of distances, and the effects of places are
as follows: ... - The effects of positions are these: ...
- So since all the appearances are observed from a certain distance
or in a certain position, and each of these makes a difference in the
presentations, as we suggested, we shall be compelled by this mode too
to arrive at suspension of judgement. For he who prefers some of these
presentations over others will be undertaking the impossible. 122. For
if he makes his pronouncement unqualifiedly and without demonstration