on certainty 185

185. It might strike me as ridiculous to want to doubt the existence of Napoleon; but if someone doubted the existence of the earth 150 years ago, perhaps I should be more willing to listen, for now he is doubting our whole system of evidence. It does not strike me as if this system were more certain than a certainty within it.

whether you are talking about –

a simple proposition –

or a ‘system’ – of propositions

the proposition is a proposal –

and the proposal –

is open to question –

open to doubt –

is uncertain

© greg t. charlton. 2010.