The misconception that knowledge needs authority to be genuine or reliable dates back to antiquity, and it still prevails.

To this day, most philosophy courses teach that knowledge is some form of justified, true belief, where justified means designated as true (or at least ‘probable’) by reference to some authoritative source or touchstone of knowledge.

Thus “How do we know…?” is transformed into “By what authority do we claim…?”.

The latter question is a chimera that may well have wasted more philosophers’ time and effort than any other idea.

It converts the quest for truth into a quest for certainty (a feeling) or for endorsement (a social status).

David Deutsch, Beginning Of Infinity

The distilled essence of the dirtbag dream life is the ability to explore and adventure however, and wherever, the wilderness calls you.

Tim Mathis, Dirtbag’s Guide To Life

Out here in the free unplanted fields there is no rectilineal sectioning of times and seasons.

All things flow here in indivisible, measureless currents.

John Muir, Wilderness and American Imagination

The recognition that there are no authoritative sources of knowledge, nor any reliable means of justifying ideas as being true or probable, is called fallibilism.

To those of us for whom creating knowledge means understanding better what is really there, and how it really behaves and why, fallibilism is part of the very means by which this is achieved.

Fallibilists expect even their best and most fundamental explanations to contain misconceptions in addition to truth, and so they are predisposed to try to change them for the better.

The logic of fallibilism is that one not only seeks to correct the misconceptions of the past, but hopes in the future to find and change mistaken ideas that no one today questions or finds problematic.

So it is fallibilism, not mere rejection of authority, that is essential for the initiation of unlimited knowledge growth—the beginning of infinity.

David Deutsch, Beginning Of Infinity

The ocean breathes salty, won’t you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul

The more we move ahead
The more we’re stuck in rewind

Well, I don’t mind, I don’t mind
How the hell could I mind?

Modest Mouse, Ocean Breathes Salty

No, I do mind uh—The Dude minds.

This will not stand, you know—this aggression will not stand, man.

Dude

Hydrographic outer waves of salty sea water crash around us, as emotional inner waves of salty sea water surge towards a coming crescendo inside us… (Symbolism, much?)

Body: You know there’s no way I can handle a cage, man.

Johnny: I don’t care, you gotta go down.

It’s gotta be that way.

An epic (100 ft?) wave surges distantly offshore as Bodhi looks out longingly, fists fiercely clenched and tears welling up in his eyes.

Body: But look at it Johnny—look at it! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, man. Just let me go out there, let me get one wave before you take me. One wave!

Where am I gonna go, man? Cliffs on both sides, I’m not gonna paddle all the way to Fiji!

My whole life has been about this moment, Johnny.

Come on, compadre.

Come on.