on certainty 20

20. “Doubting the existence of the external world” does not mean for example doubting the existence of a planet, which later observations prove to exist. – Or does Moore want to say that here is his hand is different in kind from knowing the existence of the planet Saturn? Otherwise it would be possible to point out the discovery of the planet Saturn to the doubters and say that its existence has been proved, and hence the existence of the external world as well.

reality –

before any account –

any description –

is unknown

we put forward different accounts –

different descriptions

i.e. materialism  and idealism –

to make known

any knowledge here –

is uncertain

the question is not –

which account is true –

which is false?

but how –

and in what circumstances –

any account –

is useful to us?

© greg t. charlton. 2009.