42. One can say “He believes it, but it
isn’t so”, but not “He knows it, but it isn’t so”. Does this stem from the
difference between the mental states of belief and of knowledge? No. – One may
for example call “mental state” what is expressed by tone of voice in speaking,
by gestures etc. It would thus be possible to speak of a mental state of
conviction, and that may be the same whether it is knowledge or false belief.
To think that different states must correspond to the words “believe” and
“know” would be as if one believed that different people had to correspond.
all you need to say here is ‘it isn’t so’ –
claiming authority for the proposition –
for the proposal –
be it the authority of belief – or the
authority of knowledge –
is rhetoric –
and furthermore –
‘explaining’ the difference between –
the claim of belief and the claim of
knowledge –
in terms of ‘mental states’ –
or indeed in other terms –
is just more rhetoric –
rhetoric –
on rhetoric
© greg t. charlton. 2010.
