on certainty 243

243. One says “I know” when one is ready to give compelling grounds. “I know” relates to a possibility of demonstrating the truth. Whether someone knows something can come to light, assuming that he is convinced of it

But if what he believes is of such a kind that the grounds that he can give are no surer than his assertion, then he cannot say that he knows what he believes.

look –

‘compelling grounds’ is whatever one thinks will be persuasive –

so what we are talking about here is rhetoric

and being ‘convinced of it’ –

is just about ‘talking yourself into it’ –

persuading yourself –

or at least giving the impression –

that you are persuaded

saying you believe –

is to pretend an authority for your statement –

and that supposed ‘authority’ – is your belief –

it’s not as strong as the pretence of knowledge –

but like ‘I know’ – ‘I believe’ –

is a rhetorical devise

here is how it is if you drop the rhetorical baggage –

you say what you have to say –

others will agree with you –

or they won’t

your statement will be acted on –

or it won’t –

it’ll be useful –

or not

© greg t. charlton. 2010.