We can be confident of facts, or mathematical statements like 2 + 2 = 4, but there are limits to how far this can be applied in reality. For example, when we make inferences about the world, they’re based on what we already know or what sounds logical to us. But it doesn’t necessarily mean their correspondence to reality is consistent and perfect. No matter how well we try to plan things out, something can go awry–something can get lost, broken, or we can simply miscalculate a result.
Reality has a way of surprising us–of defying or even embarrassing our logic. No matter how confident someone is in their understanding of science, philosophy, economics, or life in general, their knowledge cannot keep up with a world that constantly evolves, and with all the variables that intersect and influence the course of events.
Fallton Havenstonne 