Certitude and certainty

Often conflated. Certitude commonly refers to the attitude or state of mind, while certainty is correlative to the truth, the "condition of the evidence of a proposition." (As the Catholic Encyclopedia says.) Oliver Wendell Holmes said wisely, "Certitude is not the test of certainty. We have been cock sure of many things that are not so." That is not to say that certitude is always an improper state of mind. If something is clearly true, is beyond doubt, then certitude is the appropriate response.

More from the Catholic Encyclopedia: "The proper test of truth is evidence, whether the evidence of a truth in itself or by participation in the evidence of some other truth from which it is proved. Many truths, indeed, have to be accepted on authority; but then it has to be made evident that such authority is legitimate, is capable of knowing the truth, and is qualified to teach in the particular department in which it is accepted. Many truths which are at first accepted on authority may afterwards be made evident to the reason of the disciple. Such in fact is the ordinary way in which learning and science are acquired."

(worth reading the whole article here:) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03539b.htm


Certaintists need to address these arguments:
1. Certitude is dangerous for the world. As stated by Bertrand Russell "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."
2. Certainty is science, nothing more or less. (there is no moral certainty.)
3. There may be truth and thus certainty, but our ability to be certain (certitude) is impossible. Therefore, anyone who claims certitude is deluded.

Certainty, I think.

This week, Mark Steyn and George Will have something to say about certainty. This is THE concept that enlivens anti-religionists. Certainty it is said makes people more likely to fight and kill each other. Mark Steyn writes in defense of certainty (though really it is just a movie review) http://www.steynonline.com/index2.cfm?edit_id=26 and George Will in Newsweek writes againsthttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3672506/site/newsweek/. I think that George is staking out a new position (for him) on this. Will writes after an extended listing of many scientific facts designed to demonstrate "the complexity and improbability of everyday things," that"the greatest threat to civility - and ultimately to civilization- is an excess of certitude. The world is much menaced just now by people who think that the world and their duties in it are clear and simple. They are certain that they know what-who-created the universe and what this creator wants them to do to make our little speck in the universe perfect, even if extreme measures-even violence-are required."

Now I am quite certain that Mr. Will is not remembering all the good that certainists are doing in the sure knowledge that it is what Our Creator wants us to do. Moreover he seems to be speaking about radical Islam, though he never mentions it or any religious faction by name. He then goes on to allude to the partisanship in America, as if that were any comparison to decapitation or other acts of terror. He writes, "It has been well said that the spirit of liberty is the spirit of not being too sure that you are right. One way to immunize ourselves against misplaced certitude is to contemplate-even to savor-the unfathomable strangeness or everything, including ourselves."

Not all certainists surely are religionists. And certainly not all of those who are so sure of themselves are right or good. But should we remove the idea of certainty because it is impractical? There might be certainty, but people can't handle it?

I recently have been scrounging through a many years encrusted music collection. (See my prev. Ipod post.) One artist, Iris Dement, stands out much as she did when I first heard her. Her soulful plaintive voice reaches in and touches your soul. (My wife more simplisticly says she sounds depressed.) The first song on her 1992 debut album, Infamous Angel is a credal statement for the uncertain, called Let the Mystery Be. And while I disagree with its message, it is a very good song because musically and lyrically it conveys its meaning clearly (and even convincingly although that is rather ironic for a song against certainty.)

So your homework class, read George Will and listen to Iris. When those you disagree with state their case well, it allows room for you to clearly develop your own position. Here are the lyrics to Let The Mystery Be:
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/dement-iris/let-the-mystery-be-11276.html

Everybody's wonderin' what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
But no one knows for certain and so it's all the same to me.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
Some say once you're gone you're gone forever, and some say you're gonna come back.
Some say you rest in the arms of the Saviour if in sinful ways you lack.
Some say that they're comin' back in a garden, bunch of carrots and little sweet peas.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
Everybody's wonderin' what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
But no one knows for certain and so it's all the same to me.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
Instrumental break.
Some say they're goin' to a place called Glory and I ain't saying it ain't a fact.
But I've heard that I'm on the road to purgatory and I don't like the sound of that.
Well, I believe in love and I live my life accordingly.
But I choose to let the mystery be.Everybody's wonderin' what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
But no one knows for certain and so it's all the same to me.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.I think I'll just let the mystery be.


This is one mystery I would like to explore further in future posts.

I pod.

It is not true that my failure to post on this blog for more than a month is because I recently received a 30 gig Ipod photo for my birthday. I have been very busy with many things, including down/up loading or im/exporting some 2200 songs on to this high tech transistor radio. More later . . . great tune coming on . . . I just have to dance.