Bayle and Pyrrhonism: Antinomy, Method, and History

Abstract

Bayle’s “sceptical method of antinomy” is of enduring historical interest, since so many figures of the period discussed it, including Hume, Kant, and Hegel. In the paper, I examine Bayle’s own definition of scepticism, and exhibit his scepticism at work in the writing of his Dictionary. The first part shows how the sceptical method is built into the very idea of a critique and Bayle’s philosophical reflections. Then, I turn to the application of the sceptical method in the Dictionnary. Finally, I compare Bayle’s use of this method and Sextus’ use, showing the novelties introduced by him.