Sextus Empiricus: The Transmission and Recovery of Pyrrhonism(Society for Classical Studies American Classical Studies)

The subject is Sextus Empiricus, one the chief sources of information on ancient philosophy and one of the most influential authors in the history of skepticism. Sextus' works have had an extraordinary influence on western philosophy, and this book provides the first exhaustive and detailed study of their recovery, transmission, and intellectual influence through Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. This study deals with Sextus' biography, as well as the history of the availability and reception of his works. It also contains an extensive bibliographical section, including editions, translations, and commentaries.

Review :
"Bett succeeds in creating a remarkably clear, modern English translation of the complex, often obscure text. ... The introduction, notes, and bibliography are excellent. â Summing up: Recommended" -- CHOICE "This book is most helpful for those who are interested in the fortuna of ancient skepticism. It also offers a fine case study about the intricacies of how philosophical texts and ideas were transmuted in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It deserves a broad audience."--Classical World "An essential starting point for future work in this field. No one interested in the fate of Greek philosophy or the intellectual history of the Renaissance can afford to ignore it."--Bryn Mawr Classical Review "An exemplary piece of scholarship.... Floridi's book will become a fundamental starting-place for anyone seriously interested in the reception of ancient skepticism in the Middle Ages and Renaissance."--Renaissance Quarterly "This book is a very polished, highly professional and scholarly study of the history of the accessibility and influence of the works of Sextus Empiricus, one of the most important of the later ancient skeptics. It will no doubt be of value to a good number of scholars in different domains. As well as an overview of the availability and transmission of Sextus's works, the author provides a very useful bibliographical study, including editions, translations, and commentaries, and four appendices look closely at a number of medieval and Latin translations."-- Steven M. Nadler, University of Wisconsin-Madison "This book will be of considerable use to the large and growing community interested in the impact of later ancient philosophy on the Renaissance and the early modern period. I expect that it will become a basic research tool for further serious work on the reception of Pyrrhonism. Of particular note are the sharp and principled distinctions drawn between the reception of Sextus in the medieval tradition, in the Renaissance, and in the seventeenth century. The author's knowledge of European intellectual history is most impressive. The thoughtful integration of the author's new research and intelligent reportage of previous work makes the resultant book a natural starting point for advanced work in the field."--Brad Inwood, University of Toronto "Rigorous and well-informed...Floridi's book is a solid piece of scholarship...a basic starting point and an invaluable reference tool for whoever desires to embark on further work on the reception, interpretation, and influence of Sextus' writings"--Ancient Philosophy "This book is most helpful for those who are interested in the fortuna of ancient skepticism. It also offers a fine case study about the intricacies of how philosophical texts and ideas were transmuted in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It deserves a broad audience."--Classical World "An essential starting point for future work in this field. No one interested in the fate of Greek philosophy or the intellectual history of the Renaissance can afford to ignore it."--Bryn Mawr Classical Review "An exemplary piece of scholarship.... Floridi's book will become a fundamental starting-place for anyone seriously interested in the reception of ancient skepticism in the Middle Ages and Renaissance."--Renaissance Quarterly "This book will be of considerable use to the large and growing community interested in the impact of later ancient philosophy on the Renaissance and the early modern period. I expect that it will become a basic research tool for further serious work on the reception of Pyrrhonism. Of particular note are the sharp and principled distinctions drawn between the reception of Sextus in the medieval tradition, in the Renaissance, and in the seventeenth century. The author's knowledge of European intellectual history is most impressive. The thoughtful integration of the author's new research and intelligent reportage of previous work makes the resultant book a natural starting point for advanced work in the field."--Brad Inwood, University of Toronto. "This book is a very polished, highly professional and scholarly study of the history of the accessibility and influence of the works of Sextus Empiricus, one of the most important of the later ancient skeptics. It will no doubt be of value to a good number of scholars in different domains. As well as an overview of the availability and transmission of Sextus's works, the author provides a very useful bibliographical study, including editions, translations, and commentaries, and four appendices look closely at a number of medieval and Latin translations."--Steven M. Nadler, University of Wisconsin-Madison