'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.




Wednesday, February 17, 2010

on certainty 291


291. We know that the earth is round. We have definitely ascertained that it is round.

We shall stick to this opinion, unless our whole way of seeing things changes. “How do you know that?” – I believe it.



if it is the case that we will stick to this opinion –

unless our whole way of seeing things changes –

then what we are dealing with is just an  opinion –

an opinion that is fashionable


© greg t. charlton. 2010.