'For the person or persons that hold dominion, can no more combine with the keeping up of majesty the running with harlots drunk or naked about the streets, or the performances of a stage player, or the open violation or contempt of laws passed by themselves than they can combine existence with non-existence'.

- Benedict de Spinoza. Political Treatise. 1677.




Tuesday, June 02, 2009

on certainty 14


14. That he does know remains to be shewn.



it does not remain to be shown

if you claim to know –

you claim an authority

the only authority is authorship

in making your statement –

logically speaking –

what you show is authorship –

but that’s all –

rhetoric is another matter –

here the question is –

what do you show –

if you claim an authority –

beyond authorship –

an authority –

you don’t have?


© greg t. charlton. 2009.