.ll 72
.fo off
.co on 
.ce ((Editor's comments in double parenthesis - Homer))
 
.ce ADR - 388
.ce
 
.ce Copyright (C) Homer Wilson Smith
.ce Redistribution rights granted for non commercial purposes
 
======================================================================== 70
Date:         Mon, 17 Jul 89 12:40:51 EDT
From:         Homer 
Subject:      more double think
To:           adore-l@ualtavm,
              shari%kong@gatech.edu


     In 1975 I wrote a paper entitled 'Considerations on the Immortality
of Self'.

     The opening lines were,

1.)  CERTAINTY that 'ALL CERTAINTY is IMPOSSIBLE' is IMPOSSIBLE.  CERTAINLY.
Therefore CERTAINTY EXISTS.

2.)  UNCERTAINTY EXISTS.  To DOUBT this is to PROVE IT.

     3.) UNCERTAINTY is DIFFERENT from CERTAINTY.  To be UNCERTAIN of
this or ANYTHING is to be CERTAINLY UNCERTAIN of it, or else why claim
with such CERTAINTY that you are UNCERTAIN of it, and if you are
CERTAINLY UNCERTAIN of anything and can not tell the difference between
CERTAINTY and UNCERTAINTY, boy are you in trouble.

     The point of all this was to put at bay people who claim with
total seriousness that 'you cant be certain of anything'.

     Just ask them if they are certain of that.

     "Are you certain you can't be certain of anything?"

     If they say no, (which they will) ask them how they know they are
right.  They will say they DONT know if they are right, which to them
proves that they are.  They don't know they don't know.

     Or maybe they will say they doubt all things.  Ask them if they
doubt that they doubt.  If they say yes, (which they will) ask them then
how do they know for SURE that they doubt all things?  If they say they
don't know for SURE because they doubt it, then ask them why they are
claiming that they doubt all things with such conviction.

     You do this for fun, you understand, not to hold a serious
discussion on anything.

     The end result of all this is the person should attain a perfect
certainty that perfect certainty can exist and does for many truths
including this one.

     A further result is the realization that when one is uncertain of
something, then they are CERTAINTLY uncertain of that something.  In
other words there is no such thing as not being sure if you are certain
or uncertain.  That is a waste of time and goes by the name of defunct
personal integrity in some circles.

     Actually we call it 'mind broke' for short.

     If you are SURE, then you are SURE you are SURE.  If you are UNSURE
then you are SURE you are UNSURE.

     People who are UNSURE if they are SURE, or are UNSURE if they are
UNSURE are not operable.

     Attaining a perfect certainty of these truths opens the door and is
the first step towards personal integrity.

     Certainty is always possible, even if it is certainty of
uncertainty.

     This is CONSCIOUSNESS.

     I await Norman's rapier analysis.

 Homer               adore-l@ualtavm      7/17/89 more double think