ly, because, by rejecting the reliability of his own powers to discover and know truth, he made it impossible for himself to extricate himself from the net of his own universal doubt.Moreover, there are glaring inconsistencies in his procedure. He claims to reject everything, even the principle of contradiction and the principle of sufficient reason. But he does not. He surreptitiously assumes the truth of these principles and uses them continually.As obvious a fact as the "Cogito, ergo sum" is really based on the validity and truth of the principle of contradiction. This principle asserts that it is impossible for something to be and not to be at the same time. Descartes becomes certain of his own existence by the very fact of his "thinking" or "doubting." True. But why? Because he perceives clearly that it is impossible to "think and not think," to "exist and not exist" at the same time. If Descartes were consistent and really doubted the principle of contradiction, he would have to affirm that it could be possible for a being to "think and not think," to "exist and not exist" at the same time. But, then, according to his own supposition, he could not be sure after all that the ultimate fact of his existence is certain, and his famous "Cogito, ergo sum" has no real objective value.Only by granting the validity and truth of the principle of contradiction beforehand, can his existence be established as an objective fact; and that is exactly, though inconsistently, what Descartes does.The same line of reasoning applies to his proofs for God's existence and infinite perfection. Notwithstanding his proofs, his rejection of the principle of contradiction will forever invalidate his arguments, because, as long as this principle is not established and accepted, he could never be sure whether it would not be possible for God to "exist and not exists," to "be infinitely perfect and not infinitely perfect" at the same time.Similarly, he would al...
