________________
EXAMINATION OF THE DOCTAINE OF 'SELF-SUFFICIENT VALIDITY'. 1293
AT SOME STAGE OR THE OTHER, THE SELF-VALIDITY OF THE COGNITION, -IT IS FAR BETTER TO ADMIT IT AT THE VERY FIRST STEP." - (2858-2860)
COMMENTARY. What is meant is that just as in the initial cognition, the validity is dependent upon the perfections apprehended by another cognition,-s0 should it be in other cognitions also.
As before ' as in the case of certainty of validity arising from corroboration.
One after the other'-in each preceding cognition of perfections.
If, through fear of Infinite Regress, it be held that the validity of the cognition of perfection is inherent in it, self-sufficient, then what hostility should there be against the cognitions of the object itself,by virtue of which its validity is held to be extraneous, not inherent ? We do not perceive any reason for this.
Thus then the flying bird, not perceiving the end of the other shore, has to return to the place whence it started; consequently, there is no need for the making of baseless assumptions. This is what is pointed out by the words— In case the cognition of the perfection, etc. etc. Dependent upon the perfection-i.e. that which has its validity dependent upon the certain cognition of the perfection.—(2858-2860)
The following might be urged-There is a difference between the initial cognition on the one hand and the subsequent corroborative cognition, and the cognition of perfection on the other, on account of which difference, while the validity of these latter two is inherent, that of the former is not so.
The answer to this is as follows:
TEXTS (2861-2863).
" ON WHAT GROUNDS HAVE THE CORROBORATIVE COGNITION AND THE
COGNITION OF PERFECTION BEEN HELD TO BE SUPERIOR TO THE INITIAL COGNITION, ON THE STRENGTH OF WHICH THE LATTER SHOULD BE DEPENDENT UPON THOSE TWO ?-FROM ALL THIS IT FOLLOWS THAT VALIDITY MUST BE REGARDED AS INHERENT IN ALL COGNITIONS, AS A GENERAL RULE ; AND IT IS DISCARDED ONLY WHEN THERE IS EITHER AN ANNULMENT OF IT OR THE COGNITION OF ITS SOURCE BEING DEFECTIVE. EVEN THOUGH THIS WAY THE DISCARDING OF THE VALIDITY WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON EXTRANEOUS CAUSES, THERE WOULD BE NO INFINITE REGRESS. BECAUSE AFTER ALL, IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT UPON VALIDITY, AND THIS IS THERE, INHERENT IN THE COGNITION."-(2861-2863)
COMMENTARY. Objection If Cognition is self-sufficient in Cognitions become valid, which is absurd.
its validity,
then all
