reason's limits

each mind's an island, girt by the unknown
induction can't construct a causeway thence
unable to disprove it's not alone
behind deduction's awesome, perfect, fence
Descartes gets us as far as "cogito"
that sets the furthest uncontested mark
but one step further, if one wants to go
is treading on the water, in the dark
a bridge stands on conjecture, step by step
unbuttressed save by fallible eyes, ears...
increasingly uncertain with each rep-
etition, massive castles built on air
philosophizing's fun 'til it goes bad
the wisest cede they may be seen as mad