Published in issue No. 41 of NOMOS: Studies in Spontaneous Order





After-Dinner Conversation

Now two plus two will always equal four
And that, Bertrand, I believe I know for sure.
Still, that argument you made before —
About how even here there's something more;
That even with this there's a drop of doubt,
No matter how we think we've thought it out.
At this point, could we go on to say
That perhaps even A doesn't equal A?
I think we'll be asking ourselves before long
If skepticism itself could be wrong.
And if you tell me that only doubt's beyond doubt,
Well, then, my friend, you'll have smoked yourself out.


~ Barry Loberfeld