The Superultramodern Doubt

By: Kedar Joshi
Submitted: 2007-01-17 11:22:47
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‘The superultramodern doubt’ is the first and the most basic principle of my 'Superultramodern science / philosophy'.

Theorem: Anything may be possible.

1. That which could otherwise be believed to be absolutely (or 100%) certainly impossible at present could be possible as the intellectual capacities of the believer may be limited. That is, the proposition/s, for example, that are otherwise thought to be absolutely certainly true could be false.

Controversy:

1. Cartesian doubt vs. Superultramodern doubt

The Cartesian doubt is the doubt raised by Rene Descartes on everything except his own existence as he is a thinking, specifically doubting, substance. Thus, the Cartesian doubt is the principle that ‘anything may be possible, except the impossibility of one’s own existence as one is a thinking, specifically doubting, substance’. The Cartesian doubt thus contradicts the superultramodern doubt.

Let’s for a moment agree with the Cartesian inference that ‘I think (specifically doubt) therefore I am’. But still it could be that it is a wrong way of thinking. I naturally think that as there is a doubt there has to be someone who doubts. But it could be a wrong inference. My language, for example, always refers to ‘I’ because I cannot think otherwise. But I can very well think that I could be wrong. The basic thought involved in the justification of the theorem of the superultramodern doubt appears to be more fundamental than the thought mainly involved in the Cartesian doubt.

The Cartesian doubt is also referred to as ‘Universal Doubt’. However, Cartesian doubt is not really universal as it is not applicable to itself or one’s own existence. The superultramodern doubt is universal as it is even applicable to itself or one’s own existence.

2. Certain universal doubt vs. Uncertain universal doubt

‘Certain universal doubt’ would be the principle that ‘anything is possible’. In contrast to it, the principle of superultramodern doubt that ‘anything may be possible’ would be ‘uncertain universal doubt’. Now, quite apparently, as a universal doubt is all-inclusive, it applies to itself (or is self-referential), and thus should be uncertain.

Philosophical Implications of the Superultramodern Doubt:

1. All axioms as 99.99…% certainly true

All of the propositions which otherwise appear to be 100% (or absolutely) certainly true should now be supposed to be 99.99…% certainly true. In other words, it should be believed that it is 0.00…1% likely that those axiomatic propositions are false. An example of such propositions would be ‘if p implies q, and q implies r, then p implies r’. This 0.00…1% slightest margin in the belief system should be reserved/retained for the sake of the superultramodern doubt.

2. No belief in a proof

Implication 1 implies that there should be no belief in a (mathematical) proof. Something may actually have been proved, but it would be irrational for one to believe that it has been proved. (Here the term ‘proof’ means definite, absolute, or certain resolution of a problem.)

3. All mathematics as philosophy

Implication 2 implies that all mathematics is hypothetical and thus philosophical.

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