1. If you do know that here is one hand, we will grant you all the rest.
When one says that such and such a
proposition can’t be proved, of course that does not mean that it can’t be
derived from other propositions; any propositions can be derived from other
ones. But they may be no more certain than it is itself. (On this a curious
remark by H. Newman.)
‘If you do know that here is one hand, we will grant you all the rest.’
if you are certain of one proposition -
any derived from it – will be certain?
the question is can you be certain of any proposition?
certainty is what?
a claim to an authority that is beyond
question –
first up the only authority you have is
authorship –
secondly any proposition – any proposal –
you put forward –
is open to question – open to doubt
the claim of certainty is at best no more
than a rhetorical claim –
the point of which is to persuade –
yourself – or others –
of an authority (beyond authorship) – that
you don’t have –
it ‘s a false claim – based the in
deception or ignorance
and yes – derivation – is really just a
language game –
it guarantees nothing
© greg t. charlton. 2009.
