'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.




Wednesday, June 23, 2010

on certainty 528

528. And in spite of this: if someone asked me what the colour was called in German and I tell him, and now he asks me “are you sure?” – then I shall reply “I know it is; German is my mother tongue”. 



what the colour is called – is a question of usage –

and that is always an uncertain matter –

whether you describe that uncertain usage as ‘German’ or not –

is neither here nor there

and claiming certainty on the matter –

is just pretense –

German or not


© greg t. charlton. 2010.