on certainty 290

290.  I myself wrote in my book that children learn to understand a word in such and such a way. Do I know that, or do I believe it? Why in such a case do I write not “I believe etc.” but simply the indicative sentence?

yes –

just the indicative sentence is all that is required

prefacing any proposition with ‘I know’ or ‘I believe’ –

adds nothing to the proposition –

but unnecessary and irrelevant baggage –

which if it is not identified for what it is-

will corrupt the proposition –

and its bearer

© greg t. charlton. 2010.