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Posted by Carl Lewis on July 14, 2003 17:36:06 UTC

I always like it when people say obvious things in convoluted ways to make it sound profound.

What is a chair but a collection of atoms, or a collection of quarks and leptons, or any other mereological sum of parts of 'something'?

Well, a chair is also a piece of furniture, something to sit on, the place where I spend most of my week...

Regardless of what you believe to exist, the point is that you need to ontologically commit to some kind of ontology in order to delineate reality from fantasy.

You mean, I must commit to the belief that quarks and leptons exist before I can sit down? Funny, I thought all I needed was to be in front of a chair and bend my knees. I'll pay more attention next time.

The problem is, whatever ontology you commit to (e.g., a chair) requires beliefs that are unproven and unverifiable

You know, just a few hours ago I went to visit a client. When I got there, the receptionist asked me if I wanted to sit down while I waited. I told her I needed to make an ontological commitment first, to which she replied:

"sure; second door to the right"

You can [believe you have a billion dollars in the bank] if you are justified in holding that belief.

In other words, I can believe I have a billion dollars just as long as I do have a billion dollars. Man, that was deep!

To be justified in that belief you must have satisfactory reasons for accepting it.

Satisfactory reasons not forthcoming, would satisfactory funds do?

Satisfaction is the feeling of being satisfied.

Can't argue with that...

For example, if you believe that you feel that you are justly entitled to some trust fund that is not currently in your name, you might have enough overall satisfaction in believing you have a billion dollars in the bank even though it is not in your name.

So I do have a billion dollars after all, only it's in the wrong people's accounts? I knew it! I knew it!

The criteria for the overall satisfaction in holding this belief is maintained even though others around you might dispute it.

I don't think they would dispute it as much as they would be tempted to send for a psychiatrist.

(please don't take this any more seriously than I took your post - have fun)

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