279. It is quite sure that motor cars don’t
grow out of the earth. We feel that if someone could believe the contrary he
could believe everything that we say is untrue, and could question
everything that we hold to be sure.
But how does this one belief hang
together with all the rest? We should like to say that someone who would
believe that does not accept our whole system of verification.
This system is something that a human being
acquires by means of observation and instruction. I intentionally do not say
“learns”.
this is a demand for consistency
Wittgenstein assumes beliefs ‘hang
together’ –
as an empirical hypothesis and a general
rule –
I think he would be disappointed –
as an imperative –
pissing in the wind
Wittgenstein’s ‘system of verification’ –
is a construction –
that suits his purposes –
it doesn’t follow that it suits any one
else’s
if it does –
he’s got a friend
© greg t. charlton. 2010.
