The 3 Self-Evident The 3 Self-Evident Principles of ReasonPrinciples of Reason

AristotleAristotle

The study of first causesThe study of first causes

Philosophy is not investigative…not Philosophy is not investigative…not resolved on the level of sensation…it resolved on the level of sensation…it rather begins with ordinary experiences rather begins with ordinary experiences and ascends towards universal principles…and ascends towards universal principles…

Philosophical reasoning is valid through Philosophical reasoning is valid through reason alone, and it reasons on the basis of reason alone, and it reasons on the basis of universal principles to make conclusions…universal principles to make conclusions…

Each principle is presupposed whenever Each principle is presupposed whenever we begin know anything at all…we begin know anything at all…

The Principle of IdentityThe Principle of Identity

Each being (state of being) is what it is…Each being (state of being) is what it is… Without the principle of identity one could Without the principle of identity one could

not begin know anything as it is…not begin know anything as it is… It can not be true for “what is” and “what It can not be true for “what is” and “what

is not” to mean the same thing…is not” to mean the same thing… If so, then one could not be able to If so, then one could not be able to

distinguish between anything at all…distinguish between anything at all… A carrot is a carrot, not a watermelon…A carrot is a carrot, not a watermelon…

IdentityIdentity If we are to deny the principle of If we are to deny the principle of

identity then nothing would exist identity then nothing would exist determinately…determinately… Everything would be indeterminate…Everything would be indeterminate…

If so, then nothing would be If so, then nothing would be determinately known as it is, and determinately known as it is, and knowledge would be impossible…knowledge would be impossible… Nobody would be able to distinguish Nobody would be able to distinguish

between anything determinately…and, between anything determinately…and, nobody would have an opinion because nobody would have an opinion because knowledge would be impossible…knowledge would be impossible…

The Principle of Non-The Principle of Non-ContradictionContradiction

Nothing can both be and not be at the Nothing can both be and not be at the same time and in the same respect…same time and in the same respect… Nothing can be both true and false at the Nothing can be both true and false at the

same time…same time… The principle of identity and non-The principle of identity and non-

contradiction are related in this contradiction are related in this aspect…aspect…

If one denies the principle of identity, If one denies the principle of identity, then one has to deny the principle of then one has to deny the principle of non-contradiction and vice versa…non-contradiction and vice versa…

Non-Contradiction con’tNon-Contradiction con’t To deny the principle of non-To deny the principle of non-

contradiction leads to an contradiction leads to an absurdabsurd state state of affairs…of affairs… Because one would have to use the Because one would have to use the

principle in order to deny it…in other words, principle in order to deny it…in other words, I would have to hold that denying non-I would have to hold that denying non-contradiction is just as true as affirming it…contradiction is just as true as affirming it…

My denying the principle would mean My denying the principle would mean nothing at all…nothing at all… What would this bear upon?What would this bear upon?

Non-Contradiction con’tNon-Contradiction con’t Example: What would you do if you look Example: What would you do if you look

outside tomorrow morning and there outside tomorrow morning and there was 5 feet of snow on the ground?was 5 feet of snow on the ground? What would you do? Is this absurd?What would you do? Is this absurd?

Why accept these 2 principles, even if Why accept these 2 principles, even if we can reason their force of we can reason their force of necessities?necessities? Cornerstones?Cornerstones?

What is our education system based What is our education system based on?on?

The Principle of the Excluded The Principle of the Excluded MiddleMiddle

Either it is (has being) or it is not (has Either it is (has being) or it is not (has no being), there is no in between…no being), there is no in between…

What could possible exist between a What could possible exist between a state of being and a state of non-state of being and a state of non-being?being?

It is suggested that the term It is suggested that the term “becoming” is that which is in “becoming” is that which is in betweenbetween the two states… the two states…

The Principle of the Excluded The Principle of the Excluded MiddleMiddle

This can not be true, because the term This can not be true, because the term “becoming” refers to change…some existing “becoming” refers to change…some existing “thing” that is changing to become something “thing” that is changing to become something else…else…

The term “thing” refers to something in a The term “thing” refers to something in a state of being…..it must first “be” in order to state of being…..it must first “be” in order to change into something else – some other state change into something else – some other state of beingof being

Example: a solid – to a liquid – to a gas…Example: a solid – to a liquid – to a gas… What about a seed?What about a seed?

Denying truth is AbsurdDenying truth is Absurd Phrases such as: “What is true for you might Phrases such as: “What is true for you might

not be true for me”…“You have your truth, not be true for me”…“You have your truth, and I have mine”and I have mine”

Statements like these imply that truth Statements like these imply that truth becomes entirely subjective…becomes entirely subjective… Absurd statements imply living in an absurd Absurd statements imply living in an absurd

world…no trust, no structure…chaotic?world…no trust, no structure…chaotic? One must ask exactly what these statements One must ask exactly what these statements

are in reference towards…such as the debate are in reference towards…such as the debate between Adler and Russell…between Adler and Russell…

Absurd Living…Absurd Living… We have already shown that to make the We have already shown that to make the

statements “There is no truth” and “We hold statements “There is no truth” and “We hold no truth in common” are both self-refuting…no truth in common” are both self-refuting…

So, to continue to argue in favour of these So, to continue to argue in favour of these statements is entirely absurd…because it statements is entirely absurd…because it goes against self-evident principles…goes against self-evident principles…

Further evidence: imagine a world where the Further evidence: imagine a world where the principle of non-contradiction did not apply…principle of non-contradiction did not apply… If you have a driver license it means that you’re not If you have a driver license it means that you’re not

allowed to drive…and if you don’t have your license allowed to drive…and if you don’t have your license you may drive anything you like…you may drive anything you like…

Do you actually need your license to drive?Do you actually need your license to drive?

The Principle of CausalityThe Principle of Causality Why are the self-evident?Why are the self-evident? The effect (on/of something) cannot be The effect (on/of something) cannot be

greater than the cause…nothing comes greater than the cause…nothing comes from nothing…something has to come from nothing…something has to come from something else…from something else…

A thing cannot give what it does not A thing cannot give what it does not have!have!

To deny this principle would imply that To deny this principle would imply that something comes from nothing…something comes from nothing… Something being from a state of non-being…Something being from a state of non-being…

The Principle of Causality The Principle of Causality con’tcon’t

Example: if you pour a 5 ounce glass of water Example: if you pour a 5 ounce glass of water into an empty glass what would you expect?into an empty glass what would you expect?

There should be exactly 5 ounces of water or There should be exactly 5 ounces of water or less in the empty glass…can there be 5 plus less in the empty glass…can there be 5 plus ounces of water from one glass to another…ounces of water from one glass to another… Where did the extra water come from?Where did the extra water come from? A thing can only give what it has…A thing can only give what it has…

To say that something has come from nothing To say that something has come from nothing is absurd…or that nothing is somethingis absurd…or that nothing is something Theory of Evolution – Intelligent DesignTheory of Evolution – Intelligent Design

To Conclude…To Conclude… It would be very difficult to deductively It would be very difficult to deductively

reason any ordinary experience on behalf of reason any ordinary experience on behalf of Logical statements without accepting these Logical statements without accepting these principles…principles…

It would be an absurd and unintelligible It would be an absurd and unintelligible world in which knowledge and world in which knowledge and communication would be impossible…communication would be impossible…

So we can conclude that there is truth along So we can conclude that there is truth along with universal truths that we all hold in with universal truths that we all hold in common…common…

It is impossible to deny the existence of It is impossible to deny the existence of truth…truth…