on certainty 415

415. And in fact, isn’t the use of the word “know” as a pre-eminently philosophical word altogether wrong? If “know” has this interest, why not “being certain”? Apparently because it would be too subjective. But isn’t “know” just as subjective? Isn’t one simply misled by the grammatical peculiarity that “p” follows from “I know p”?

“I believe I know” would not need to express a lesser degree of certainty. – True, but one isn’t trying to express even the greatest subjective certainty, but rather that certain propositions seem to underlie all questions and all thinking.

a proposition – is a proposal –

a proposal is uncertain

it is just this uncertainty –

that is the ground of  –

all thinking and questioning

any proposition put forward –

as underlying –

all questions and thinking –

will itself be open to question –

open to doubt –

will be uncertain

© greg t. charlton. 2010.