on certainty 563

563. One says, “I know that he is in pain” although one can produce no convincing grounds for this. – Is this the same as “I am sure that he…”? – No. “I am sure” tells you my subjective certainty. “I know” means that I who know it, and the person who doesn’t are separated by a difference in understanding. (Perhaps based on a difference in degree of experience.)

If I say “I know” in mathematics, then the justification for this is a proof.

If in these two cases instead of  “I know”, one says “you can rely on it” then the substantiation is of a different kind in each case.

And substantiation comes to an end

‘although one can produce no convincing grounds for this –‘

yes – the claim to know – if it means certainty – is empty and deceptive

‘subjective’ – or ‘objective’ – if the claim is certainty –

it is false and pretentious

the difference that separates you and the person who doesn’t claim to know –

is pretence – you’re pretentious – he isn’t

a ‘proof’ in mathematics – is a language game –

best understood as – poetry

‘you can rely on it’ –

whether a reference to a statement about pain –

or a statement in mathematics –

is just rhetoric

and rhetoric is only ‘substantiated’ – if you can call it that –

by rhetoric

‘And the substantiation comes to an end’? –

I wonder –

is there an end to bullshit?

© greg t. charlton. 2010.