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Litany of Tarski

By Alfred Tarski (?)

This is not a specific speach. It is anything of the form:

If X, I desire to believe X.

If NOT X, I desire to believe that NOT X.

Let me not become attached to beliefs I may not want

When used at solstice, usually it is recited several times, beginning with innocuous Xs like “The sky is blue” or “The earth is a sphere” and working up to “I should abandon my plans” or “We are all going to die”. There can also be a metalitany, where X is “reciting the Litany of Tarski is helpful”. The metalitany can be recited in a modified form:

If reciting this litany is helpful, I desire to recite this litany.

If reciting this litany is not helpful, I desire not to recite this litany.

Let me not become attached to habits I may not want.

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