'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.




Friday, July 10, 2009

on certainty 60


60. It is wrong to say that the ‘hypothesis’ that this is a bit of paper would be confirmed or disconfirmed by later experience, and that, in “I know that this is a bit of paper,” the “I know” either relates to such an hypothesis or to a logical determination.



this ‘hypothesis’ – will not be confirmed or disconfirmed –

it will be used or it won’t be used –

correct – the ‘I know’ – does not relate to the hypothesis –

and it is logically irrelevant to it

it’s only possible value is rhetorical


© greg t. charlton. 2009.