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Quote Copy your excerpt here (without quotes). It must cover one argument and only one. Tip: You can use square brackets […] to truncate the quotation in order to make the reading more fluid and retain only the important passages.	Now we need to move on to metaphysics, using the great principle, not commonly used, that nothing happens without sufficient reason; that is, nothing happens without it being possible for someone who knows enough about things to give a reason sufficient to determine why it is so, and not otherwise. Once this principle has been established, the first question we are entitled to ask is: Why is there something rather than nothing? For nothing is simpler and easier than something. Moreover, supposing that things must exist, we must be able to give a reason why they must exist in this way, and not otherwise. Now, this sufficient reason for the existence of the universe cannot be found in the succession of contingent things, i.e. bodies and their representations in souls; because matter being indifferent in itself to motion and rest, and to such and such a motion, we cannot find in it the reason for motion, and still less for such a motion. And even though the present movement in matter comes from the previous one, and this one from a previous one, we are no further ahead, if we go as far as we like; for the same question always remains. Thus, it is necessary that the sufficient reason, which no longer needs another reason, be outside this sequence of contingent things, and be found in a substance which is their cause, and which is a necessary being, carrying the reason for its existence with itself; otherwise we would not yet have a sufficient reason where we could end. And this last reason for things is called God.
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Warning(s) If the quote poses a problem, report it by checking the corresponding box(es): Too short quote: The selected excerpt does not contain any reasoning or example. Select a longer extract or delete the quote. Too long quote: The selected excerpt is too long or mixes up separate arguments. Delete the superfluous passages, if necessary by using the square brackets […], or cut this extract into several quotations each centered on an argument. Incomplete quote reference: Some important fields (author, title, date, …) have not been filled in. By checking this box, you indicate that the references of this citation must be completed.	Too short quote Too long quote Incomplete quote reference

Quote Copy your excerpt here (without quotes). It must cover one argument and only one. Tip: You can use square brackets […] to truncate the quotation in order to make the reading more fluid and retain only the important passages.
Author(s) Enter here the full name(s) of the author(s) of the quote in the form “First name Last name”. For each author, click on it to validate it. Tip: If an author has already been quoted, just enter the first letters of his name. You will then only have to select it from the drop-down list.
Article title Enter the full title of the article or webpage here. Tip: If this article has already been cited, all you have to do is enter part of its title. You will then only have to select it from the drop-down list.
Book, journal or site title Enter here the title of the book, newspaper, magazine or the name of the site in which the quote is found. Tip: If this work, this journal or this site has already been registered in Wikidebates, then all you have to do is enter part of its title. You will then only have to select it from the drop-down list.
Journal volume If this quote is found in a scientific or academic journal in different volumes, enter here the number of the volume in which the quotation is published.
Journal number If this quote is in a numbered periodical (review, magazine), enter here the number of the periodical in which the quotation is published.
Page(s) If this quote is in a printed book or journal, you can enter the relevant page numbers here. Note: Do not write the word “page” or its abbreviations “p.” or “pg.”.
Location in the book If this quote is in a specific part of a book (chapter, section, book, verse, law article number, etc.), you can specify it here.
Publishing house If this quote is in a book, enter the name of its publishing house here (not to be confused with the collection). Tip: If this publishing house has already been registered in Wikidebates, then all you have to do is enter part of its name. You will then only have to select it from the drop-down list.
Place of publication If this quote is in a book, enter the name of the city in which it was published here. Tip: If this city has already been registered in Wikidebates, then all you have to do is enter the first letters of its surname or first name. You will then only have to select it from the drop-down list.
Release date Enter here the date on which this text appeared (month/day/year). Note: For a book that has been published multiple times, note the publication date of the book you are using for this quotation.
Link If you pulled this quote from a website or online document, copy and paste its web address here.
Warning(s) If the quote poses a problem, report it by checking the corresponding box(es): Too short quote: The selected excerpt does not contain any reasoning or example. Select a longer extract or delete the quote. Too long quote: The selected excerpt is too long or mixes up separate arguments. Delete the superfluous passages, if necessary by using the square brackets […], or cut this extract into several quotations each centered on an argument. Incomplete quote reference: Some important fields (author, title, date, …) have not been filled in. By checking this box, you indicate that the references of this citation must be completed.	Too short quote Too long quote Incomplete quote reference

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Add or edit the quotes of the argument: Everything that exists has a reason to exist

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