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Page 1 of 11909 · PDF PAGE 7
…and zg for y—all our equations are indeterminate; all our knowledge is relative, even in a narrower sense than is usually implied by the statement. Under the whip of the clown God, our performing donkeys the philosophers and men of science run round and round in the ring; they have amusing tricks : they are cleverly trained ; but they get nowhere. I don’t seem to be getting anywhere myself. II A fresh attempt. Let us look into the simplest and most certain of all possible statements. Thought exists, or if you will, Cogitatur. Descartes supposed…
1909 · PDF PAGE 10
…l) Denial of thought is thought. Even formally, ’tis a clumsy monster. Essentially, it seems to involve a great deal beyond our original statement. We compass heaven and earth to make one syllogism; and when we have made it, it is tenfold more the child of mystery than ourselves. We cannot here discuss the whole problem of the validity (the surface-question of the logical validity) of the syllogism; though one may throw out the hint that the doctrine of distributed middle seems to assume a knowledge of a Calculus of Infinites which is certainly…
1909 · PDF PAGE 8
…least) an axiom that Ais A. Now, I do not wish to deny that 4 is 4, or may occa- sionally be 4. But certainly 4 7s A is a very different statement to our original Cogitatur. The proof of Cogitatur, in short, rests not upon itself but upon the validity of our logic; and if by logic we mean (as we should mean) the Code of the Laws of Thought, the irritating sceptic will have many more remarks to make: for it now appears that the proof that thought exists depends upon the truth of that which is thought, to say no more. We have taken Cogitatur, to …
1909 · PDF PAGE 15
… Practically, Science is true; and Faith is foolish. Practically, 3 x 1 = 3 is the truth; and 3x 1 =1 isa lie; though, sceptically, both statements may be false or unintelli- gible. Practically, Franklin’s method of obtaining fire from heaven is better than that of Prometheus or Elijah. I am now writing by the light that Franklin’s discovery enabled men to use. Practically, “I concentrated my mind upon a white radiant triangle in whose centre was a shining eye, for 22 minutes and 10 seconds, my attention wandering 45 times” is a scientific and …
1909 · PDF PAGE 23
…he question Why? and the first answer is: To obtain the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. To attach meaning to this statement we must obtain that Knowledge and Conversation : and when we have done that, we may proceed to the next Question. Itis no good asking it now. 131