'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, August 12, 2009

on certainty 104


104. I am for example also convinced that the sun is not a hole in the vault of heaven.



the issue is not what you are convinced of –

it is that you are convinced – of anything –

what it means is that you have deluded yourself into thinking –

that you have an authority for your propositions –

when you have none at all –

and perhaps even –

that you have attempted to hoist this deception onto others

our propositions are open to question –

open to doubt –

uncertain –

if you are ‘convinced’ –

you are fool


© greg t.charlton. 2009