“souls,” and “intellects”—can be seen, he is claiming the existence of a self-subsisting entity that can in no way be perceived by the senses.

If the innate propositions by which the innate disposition judges—just as it judges by all other innate propositions—are cited against him, he cannot say:

“This is a judgment of the estimative faculty concerning something nonsensible, so it cannot be accepted, for the estimative faculty apprehends only what is present in sensible things.”

For it is said to him:

“It can be established that this is something that cannot be seen or perceived by the senses only if this judgment is first shown to be false. Yet this judgment can be shown to be false only if the existence of a being that cannot be seen or perceived by the senses is first established. You have established this being only by asserting that this judgment is false, and you have established that this judgment is false (1) only by asserting the existence of this being. In substance, therefore, your position amounts to a bare assertion without evidence.

“If the impossibility of seeing it is established by invalidating this judgment, that would constitute an impossible circular argument, and you would have made the very thing to be proved a premise in proving itself.

“For it is said to you: You have not established the possibility that a nonsensible being exists unless you first establish the falsity of this judgment; yet you cannot establish its falsity unless you first establish a self-subsisting being that cannot be seen or perceived by the senses.”

If you say:

“The estimative faculty concedes (2) premises that entail the establishment of this,”

it is said to you:

“That is not so. It concedes no premise whatsoever that entails this. Rather, every premise upon which establishing this possibility depends—including the possibility that there exists something that can neither be seen nor pointed to—is disputed among rational people. Not a single one of these premises is agreed upon, let alone necessary or sensory and conceded by the estimative faculty.”