'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 29, 2010

on certainty 441

441. In a court of law the assurance “I know…” on the part of a witness could convince no one. It must be shown that he was in a position to know.

Even the assurance “I know that that’s a hand”, said while someone looked at his own hand, could not be credible unless we knew the circumstances in which it was said. And if we do know them, it seems to be an assurance that the person speaking is normal in this respect.



the assurance ‘I know’ – is a claim to authority –

and it really should convince no-one

any ‘knowledge’ you have of circumstance –

will be uncertain

I think it probably is normal –

to claim to know –

but if so –

it’s normal to be pretentious –

and false


© greg t. charlton. 2010.