on certainty 624

624. “Can you be mistaken about this colour’s being called ‘green’ in English?” My answer to this can only be “No”. If I were to say “Yes, for there is always the possibility of a delusion”, that would mean nothing at all.

For is that rider something unknown to the other? And how is it known to me?

yes – the colour may be called ‘green’ –

but this is just a fact of usage –

it is contingent –

it is uncertain

the point being that in different contexts –

e.g.. scientific and artistic –

different terms may well be used –

different usages may be invented

‘the possibility of a delusion’ –

when you get down to it –

is nothing more than –

the possibility of different usage

‘and is this rider unknown to the other?’

any competent user of language –

understands the uncertainty –

of language use

‘how is it known to me?’

how is uncertainty revealed?

uncertainty –

is the ground of propositional reality

language use reveals –

uncertainty

© greg t. charlton. 2010.