Here's a basis for an epistemology: Some statements are true. And there are some statements which it is unreasonable to doubt. — Banno
I am certain that I am in Fremantle.
What's your problem with that?
It is that you can't do truth, nor certainty. — Banno
Thanks for the questions. Metaphor is a whole new subject; but I think it clear that the mind does not have places. — Banno
The brain, on the other hand, can provide some interesting material. One will not find a belief by dissecting a brain - but could it be found in an MRI? — Banno
Half a dozen folk trying to convince me I ought not be certain of what cannot be doubted.
This is ridiculous. — Banno
The individual must understand the meaning of the proposition in order to correctly be said to believe that proposition. — Banno
Half a dozen folk trying to convince me I ought not be certain of what cannot be doubted.
This is ridiculous. — Banno
The individual must understand the meaning of the proposition in order to correctly be said to believe that proposition.
This is a bit of cheating that I introduce in order to reduce the scope of the discussion. Of course, it will have the opposite effect as folk argue for animals having beliefs. This is not intended to dismiss that discussion, so much as to lay out some groundwork before we enter into it. It is clear that a dog can believe that his master will feed him; but not that his master will feed him next Wednesday. The conclusion is that animal beliefs are restricted in their scope. I want here, at least for a bit, to talk about human beliefs, with all their infelicities and horror. Perhaps after we are clear about what we mean there, we can move on to animal beliefs. — Banno
Surely we are agreeing with one another to the basic fact that I can be wrong about most any observed fact, including whether my feet remain beneath me. — Hanover
But I still think that 'the mind has places' is true when interpreted charitably in the proper context. I'm not too concerned with defending that statement, but rather with giving ordinary language its due. Even philosophers leave their studies and use/understand these kinds of statements fluently. — mrcoffee
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