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>"This is true" and "Let us imagine that this is true" are radically, radically different positions. What's the difference? Unintentional pretence vs intention
by swayvil 4y ago
>"This is true" and "Let us imagine that this is true" are radically, radically different positions.
What's the difference? Unintentional pretence vs intentional pretence? Strong imagining vs weak imagining?
Both make an assertion. Both assign a degree of confidence.
- zmgsabst 4y agoThe second isn’t an assertion, it’s a hypothetical. Eg, “let’s imagine that elves are real” is distinct from “elves are real”.
- swayvil 4y agoIt's a confidence-modulated assertion. Hypothesis is low confidence. Fact is high confidence. There is no magic point at which hypothesis suddenly becomes fact. It's simply a matter of confidence.
- zmgsabst 4y agoIt’s confidence independent: “Let X” is a context bound hypothetical — we’re assuming it is true within some argument; we have perfect confidence in the hypothetical, but only within that context. That’s distinct from an assertion, which is a statement about how the world is with some associated confidence.
- lostmsu 4y agoHave you never seen proofs by contradiction?
- Riverheart 4y ago"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle Not confidence, acceptance.