The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 309: Wittgenstein On Certainty (Part Two)
Jan 30, 2023
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Certainty As Practice Not Mere Feeling
- Wittgenstein treats 'I know' as often only expressing a psychological state unless backed by verification procedures.
- Saying "I am certain" can be linguistically permissible yet still compatible with being wrong.
Doubting Depends On The Language Game
- Doubting and knowing are linked: legitimate doubt must be understood in relation to the language-game.
- Undermining the rules of the game makes doubt itself incoherent.
Math Certainty Comes From Doing
- Mathematical certainty arises from learning practices and rules, not from a separate transcendental guarantee.
- We learn to calculate by doing, and that practice secures our confidence.