434. Now does experience teach us that in
such-and-such circumstance people know this and that? Certainly, experience
shews us that normally after so-and–so many days a man can find his way about a
house he has been living in. Or even: experience teaches us that after such-and
such a period of training a man’s judgment is to be trusted. He must,
experience tells us, have learnt for so long in order to be able to make a correct
prediction. But – – –
experience without interpretation is empty
interpretation gives experience form and
content
interpretation is uncertain –
experience is uncertain
what experience teaches us is uncertainty
any ‘knowledge’ we have –
is uncertain
you may interpret the data of experience in
a certain way –
all to the good if it suits your purpose –
but there is no certainty here
does experience teach us trust?
experience teaches us the validity of
different interpretations
a correct prediction – is what?
a projection based on accepted premises –
that delivers the goods
–
or that is interpreted as doing so
yes we take action –
yes we make predictions –
but any action taken –
any prediction made –
presupposes –
uncertain premises
© greg t. charlton. 2010.
