'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.




Tuesday, September 21, 2010

on certainty 675


675. If someone believes that he has flown from America to England in the last few days, then, I believe, he cannot be making a mistake.

And just the same if someone says he is at this moment sitting at a table and writing.



you might accept someone’s statement –

but accepting someone’s statement does not make it certain

‘sitting at a table writing’ –

may well be a description used ‘at this moment’ –

but it is not the only possible description –

and if that’s the case –

where’s the certainty?


© greg t. charlton. 2010.