'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.




Saturday, October 31, 2009

on certainty 146



146.  We form the picture of the earth as a ball floating free in space and not altering essentially in a hundred years. I said “We form the picture etc.” and this picture now helps us in the judgments of various situations.

I may indeed calculate the dimensions of a bridge, sometimes calculate that here things are more in favour of a bridge than a ferry, etc. etc., - but somewhere I must begin with an assumption or a decision.



yes –

a picture may be of help to us in our judgments –

but who is to say what might be of use here?

anything could be

any assumption or decision we make –

is uncertain


© greg t. charlton. 2009.