'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.




Thursday, April 15, 2010

on certainty 411

411. If I say “we assume that the world has existed for many years past” (or something similar), then of course it sounds strange that we should assume such a thing. But in the entire system of our language games it belongs to the foundations. The assumption one might say, forms the basis of action, and therefore naturally of thought.



and the assumption – like any assumption – is uncertain


© greg t. charlton. 2010.