'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, July 08, 2010

on certainty 546

546. I should say “I know what this colour is called” if e.g. what is in question is shades of colour whose name not every-body knows.



all you need to say here is –

‘this colour is called …’

and your statement here –

will be open to question –

open to doubt –

will be uncertain –

and this will be the case –

regardless of anyone else’s opinion –

on the matter –

or whether in fact there is any other opinion –

on the matter

prefacing your statement with –

‘I know’ –

if ‘I know’ is a claim to certainty –

is to corrupt your proposition –

and to be involved in –

logical deception


© greg t. charlton. 2010.