Epoché

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Epoché (εποχη) is a Greek term which describes the theoretical moment where all belief in the existence of the real world, and consequently all action in the real world, is suspended. One's own consciousness is subject to immanent critique so that when such belief is recovered, it will have a firmer grounding in consciousness. This concept was developed by Aristotle and plays an implicit role in skeptical thought, as in René Descartes' radical epistemic principle of methodic doubt. The prominent phenomenological philosopher Edmund Husserl picks up the notion of 'phenomenological epoché' in his influential work Cartesian Meditations where the world is 'lost in order to be regained' through placing the epoche and thereby 'bracketing' the world.

[edit] Epoché and skepticism

Epoché played an interesting role in the Pyrrhonism philosophy of Pyrrho. After establishing that we do not know anything, the preferred route of action may be Epoché or absenting oneself from making decisions and taking actions. This is a result of believing that we do not know, and therefore, we have no rationale to chose one way of action of another.