'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.




Tuesday, January 05, 2010

on certainty 218


218. Can I believe for one moment that I have ever been in the stratosphere? No. So I do know the contrary like Moore? 
                                                                                                                                  



you can put the proposition that you have never been in the stratosphere –

and that proposition – as with any proposition –

 is open to question –

open to doubt

to preface this assertion with ‘I know’ –

is to claim an authority for the assertion

the only authority you have is authorship –

it is irrelevant  and unnecessary –

to claim authorship of your assertion –

therefore –

logically speaking –

‘I know’ –

is irrelevant and unnecessary

it’s only value is –

rhetorical


© greg t. charlton. 2010.