'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 05, 2009

on certainty 95


95. The propositions describing this world picture might be part of a kind of mythology. And their role is like that of the rules of a game; and the game can be learned purely practically, without learning any explicit rules.



a set of propositions – may be described as a ‘world picture’ –

and this world picture may be described as ‘a kind of mythology’ –

and yes you may also describe your propositions as having a role – ‘like that of the rules of a game’ –

and of this then say – ‘this game can be learned purely practically, without learning any explicit rules’

there is no end to the possibilities of description here

and as there is no definite description of anything –

this description – this set of descriptions – is as good as any other –

for it is always just a question of what description or set of descriptions you find useful –

in whatever circumstances you are operating in


© greg t. charlton. 2009.