'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.




Friday, December 04, 2009

on certainty 183


183. “It is certain that after the battle of Austerlitz Napoleon… Well, in that case it’s surely certain that the earth existed then.”



‘that after the battle of Austerlitz Napoleon …’ –

it is a conjecture

the existence of the earth then

is conjecture

and yes – implication too –

is conjecture

a conjecture is not a certainty –

a conjecture is open to question –

open to doubt –

uncertain


© greg t.charlton. 2009.