'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.




Tuesday, June 01, 2010

on certainty 493


493. So this is it: I must recognize certain authorities in order to make judgments at all?



the only logical authority –

is authorship –

and authorship –

guarantees nothing

beyond authorship any claim to authority –

is purely rhetorical

the whole point of judgment

is that there is no authority

we judge in the face of uncertainty –

and our judgments –

are open to question –

open to doubt –

are uncertain


© greg t. charlton. 2010.