'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.




Sunday, May 23, 2010

on certainty 475


475. I want to regard man here as an animal; as a primitive being to which one grants instinct but not ratiocination. As a creature in a primitive state. Any logic good enough for a primitive means of communication needs no apology from us. Language did not emerge from some kind of ratiocination.



outside of any characterization –

man – language – or anything else for that matter –

is an unknown

and any characterization we put forward –

any proposal

is open to question – open to doubt –

is uncertain –

by all means have a go –

have something to say –

but don’t regard anything you run with –

as inviolate


© greg t. charlton. 2010.