'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.




Sunday, January 17, 2010

on certainty 236


236. If someone said “The earth has not long been …” what would he be impugning? Do I know?

Would it have to be what is called a scientific belief? Might it not be a mystical one? Is there any absolute necessity for him to be contradicting historical facts? or even geographical ones?



do I know what he would be impugning? – no

would it have to be a scientific belief? – no

might it not be a mystical one? – yes

is he necessarily –

contradicting historical and geographical facts? –

no


© greg t. charlton. 2010.