ing the existence and infinite perfection of God, and that is illegitimate. A doubtfully valid faculty will produce a doubtfully valid argument which will, in turn, produce a doubtfully valid conclusion. The entire argument for God's existence is therefore nullified by a suspect reasoning process. Since he proves the reliability of his reason and process by means of God's veracity, the proof of his reliability cannot be established beyond doubt. Thus, Descartes attempt to vindicate the validity of human knowledge failed, because, by rejecting the reliability of his own powers to discover and know truth, he made it impossible for himself to remove himself from his own universal doubt. Further, Descartes has marked inconsistencies in the manner in which he applies his procedure. He purports to reject everything in his pursuit of fundamental knowledge, even principles of contradiction and sufficient reason. In reality, he does not. He assumes the truth of these principles and uses them repeatedly. "Cogito ergo sum" is based upon the validity of the principle of contradiction. This principle states that it is impossible for something to be and not be at the same time. Descartes becomes aware of his own existence by thinking or doubting. Why? Because he perceives that it is impossible to think and not think and to exist and not exist at the same time. If he were consistent and seriously doubted the principle of contradiction, he would have to agree that it is possible for an entity to think and not think, to exist and not exist at the same time. Then, according to his own supposition, he could not be sure after all that the fact of his existence is certain. Only by granting the validity and truth of the principle of contradiction beforehand, can his existence be established as an objective fact. That is exactly what he does. The same line of reasoning applies to his proof of God's existence and infinite perfection. Descartes rejection of the...
