'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.




Thursday, June 11, 2009

on certainty 25


25. One may be wrong even about “there being a hand here”. Only in particular circumstances is it impossible. – “Even in a calculation one can be wrong – only in certain circumstances one can’t.”



it is not a matter of being right or wrong –

the ground of any proposition is uncertainty

you proceed with a proposition –  or you don’t –

and any decision you make here –

is like the proposition itself –

open to question – open to doubt

the calculation is a game – a game of sign substitution –

if you play the game – you play it as designed –

the only question is – do you have a use for it?

which is just to ask – do you need to calculate?

if you don’t – you won’t play –

if you do – you will

the propositions on which the game is based –

logically speaking –

are no different to any other proposition –

they are open to question –

open to doubt –

uncertain


© greg t. charlton. 2010.