PRINCIPLE OF SUFFICIENT REASON

This is the principle on which every contingent truth is grounded. It is neither less fundamental, nor less universal than that of noncontradiction. Everyone complies with nature, for there is no one who resolves to do one thing rather than another, without there being a sufficient reason that makes them realize that the former is preferable to the latter. If one were to attempt to deny this great principle one would fall into strange contradiction, for once one admits that something may happen in the absence of a sufficient reason, one can no longer guarantee that one thing is the same as it was the moment before, for that thing could turn into something else of another kind; we would thus be left with nothing but momentary truths. Everything that exists has a sufficient reason for its existence. The principle of sufficient reason states no fact can be genuine and no proposition true unless there is a sufficient reason why it should be so and not otherwise, although for the most part these reasons cannot be known by us. The principle of sufficient reason is the basis of possible experience, that is the objective knowledge of phenomenon. This principle implies an inherent rationale for the universe, which states there if there is not sufficient reason for the existence of something, it will not exist.