'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, March 20, 2010

on certainty 357

357.  One might say: “ ‘I know’ express comfortable certainty, not the certainty that is still struggling.”



the certainty ‘that is still struggling’ –

is uncertainty –

although once you understand that all propositions are uncertain –

that all practices are uncertain –

there will be no struggle –

against uncertainty

‘comfortable certainty’ – is pretence –

and pretence based on –

not thinking

it’s an illusion – at best –

a delusion – at the worst


© greg t. charlton. 2010.