'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.




Friday, June 11, 2010

on certainty 505


505. It is always by favour of Nature that one knows something.



‘nature’ is just one of the many names we have for the unknown

knowledge is our response to the unknown

we make knowledge – we put up proposals – propositions –

to negotiate the unknown

any proposal we put forward is uncertain –

and any description is open to question –

open to doubt


© greg t. charlton. 2010.