on certainty 150

150. How does one judge which is his right and which is his left hand? How do I know that my judgment will agree with someone else’s? How do I know that this colour is blue? If I don’t trust myself  here, why should I trust any else’s judgment? Is there a why? Must I not begin to trust somewhere? That is to say: somewhere I must begin with not doubting: and that is not, so to speak, hasty but excusable: it is part judging.

how does one judge which is his right and which is his left hand?

what is regarded a ‘left’ and what is regarded as ‘right’ –

is just a matter of convention

the judgment here is to follow the convention

‘how do I know that my judgment will agree with someone else’s?

I don’t

how do I know that this colour is blue?

I don’t know that this colour is blue

I follow a convention of identifying this colour as ‘blue’ –

not because there is any certainty in the matter –

but rather because it is socially useful to do so –

and by the way –

you can be a stand-out if you want to –

there’s nothing to stop you –

if I don’t trust myself  here, why should I trust any else’s judgment?

in the absence of any certainty –

there is no basis for trust –

of my own judgments or anyone else’s judgment

‘trust’ – is not in the picture –

nevertheless I act –

it is not that ‘somewhere I must begin with not doubting’ –

the fact is we act in the face of uncertainty –

and the ground of any action we take – is uncertain

is there a why?

there is always a why 

© greg t. charlton. 2009.