'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.




Wednesday, June 03, 2009

on certainty 16


16. “If I know something, then I also know that I know it, etc” amounts to: “I know that” means “I am incapable of being wrong about that.” But whether I am so must admit of being established objectively.



if you know with certainty –

you are incapable of being wrong

if the matter is to be established –

it must be put to the  question –

and if so – being objective –

is recognizing uncertainty –

for questioning –

presupposes uncertainty

in an uncertain reality –

there is no right and wrong –

what you have –

is uncertain knowledge –

knowledge that is always –

open to question –

open to doubt


© greg t. charlton. 2009.