'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.




Saturday, February 13, 2010

on certainty 288


288. I know, not just that the earth existed long before my birth, but also that it is a large body, that this has been established, that I and the rest of mankind have forebears, that there are books about all this, that such books don’t lie, etc. etc. etc. And I know all this? I believe it. This body of knowledge has been handed on to me and I have no grounds for doubting it, but on the contrary all sorts of confirmation.

And why shouldn’t I say I know all this? Isn’t that what one does say?

But not only I know, or believe, all that, but the others do too. Or rather I believe that they believe it.  



this body of assertions has been handed on to me

and if I don’t question it – I don’t doubt it

to say I know this is to underwrite these assertions –

with some authority –

the only authority here –

is authorship

yes – not only do I make these assertions –

others do too


© greg t. charlton. 2010.