"Рэймонд Смаллиан. Две философские сценки (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

"believe."
FRANK: Oh, hang your machine! Do you believe we mean the same thing by
the word "believe"?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: Do I believe it? Just a moment while I check with the
machine. Yes, it turns out I do believe it.
FRANK: My goodness, do you mean to say that you can't even tell me what
you believe without consulting the machine?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: Of course not.
FRANK: But most people when asked what they believe simply tell you.
Why do you, in order to find out your beliefs, go through the fantastically
roundabout process of directing a thought-reading machine to your own brain
and then finding out what you believe on the basis of the machine readings?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: What other scientific, objective way is there of
finding out what I believe?
FRANK: Oh, come now, why don't you just ask yourself?
EPISTEMOLOGIST (sadly): It doesn't work. Whenever I ask myself what I
believe, I never get any answer!
FRANK: Well, why don't you just state what you believe?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: How can I state what I believe before I know what I
believe?
FRANK: Oh, to hell with your knowledge of what you believe; surely you
have some idea or belief as to what you believe, don't you?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: oOf course I have such a belief. But how do I find out
what this belief is?
FRANK: I am afraid we are getting into another infinite regress. Look,
at this point I am honestly beginning to wonder whether you may be going
crazy.
EPISTEMOLOGIST: Let me consult the machine. Yes, it turns out that I
may be going crazy.
FRANK: Good God, man, doesn't this frighten you?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: Let me check! Yes, it turns out that it does frighten
me.
FRANK: Oh please, can't you forget this damned machine and just tell me
whether you are frightened or not?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: I just told you that I am. However, I only learned of
this from the machine.
FRANK: I can see that it is utterly hopeless to wean you away from the
machine. Very well, then, let us play along with the machine some more. Why
don't you ask the machine whether your sanity can be saved?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: Good idea! Yes, it turns out that it can be saved.
FRANK: And how can it be saved?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: I don't know, I haven't asked the machine.
FRANK: Well, for God's sake, ask it!
EPISTEMOLOGIST: Good idea. It turns out that...
FRANK: It turns out what?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: It turns out that...
FRANK: Come on now, it turns out what?
EPISTEMOLOGIST: This is the most fantastic thing I have ever come
across! According to the machine the best thing I can do is to cease to
trust the machine!