'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, September 30, 2009

on certainty 110


110. What counts as its test? – But is this an adequate test? And, if so, must it not be recognizable in logic?” – As if giving grounds did not come to an end sometime. But the end is not an ungrounded proposition: it is an ungrounded way of acting.



‘what counts as a test?’

the short answer is –

whatever it is decided – counts as a test –

by whoever decides

‘but is this an adequate test?

questions can always be raised about the adequacy of a test –

so logically speaking –

the answer is no

‘as if giving grounds did not come to an end sometime’

there will be a practical end to the giving of grounds

but no logical end

‘but the end is not an ungrounded proposition’

the end is an ungrounded proposition –

just as the ‘beginning’ –

is an ungrounded proposition –

and therefore –

what we have is –

‘an ungrounded way of acting’

and yes –

this is how human beings go about


© greg t.charlton. 2009.