Timothy Williamson

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“Since the number is either odd or even, it is either true that the number is odd or true that it is even. Therefore something is true but not certain. Either ‘The number of coins now on the train is odd’ is an example of truth without certainty, or ‘The number of coins now on the train is even’ is. We know that one of those two sentences is an example, although we are not in a position to know which of them it is. Zac was incorrect in claiming that truth implies certainty.”

― Timothy Williamson

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“Anyway, you are right: actions based on true beliefs aren’t guaranteed to go better than actions based on false ones; but they’re much more likely to. Actions based on false beliefs go well only by luck.”

― Timothy Williamson

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“Modern logicians do not appeal to Aristotle’s authority in logic. They accept some of his logical claims and reject others, on their own merits. They have found Aristotle’s initial characterizations of truth and falsity an appropriate starting point for fruitful investigation. For logical purposes, there is no serious alternative to them.”

― Timothy Williamson

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“Competence with the English language no more requires acceptance of some law of non-contradiction or any other logical law than it requires acceptance of the theory of evolution or the historical reality of the Holocaust.”

― Timothy Williamson

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“Zac is one of those who think a muddy river deeper than a clear one, because they cannot see the bottom.”

― Timothy Williamson

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“I’m not saying science is perfect, but life is too short for an infinite sequence of questionings, and questionings of questionings, and questionings of questionings of questionings…One must start somewhere.”

― Timothy Williamson