Dilemma of Applying Reason

Almost all of us have been faced with the questioning of a child by repeating
one word over and over. He can be very frustrating to us as he asks, "WHY?"
If you put a knife beyond his reach, he wants to know "WHY?" When you
explain it is sharp, he asks "WHY?" And so you explain, "in order to cut
fruit," and he asks, "WHY?" And so it goes. It illustrates the dilemma of
applying reason. What we have to do when we apply reason is first set
standards of proof. We decide for ourselves, "What will I be satisfied with if I
find such and such and so and so that constitutes for me a final proof?" We
have to decide on that first. What happens though, is that on the really
important issues, the philosophical matters, thinkers set standards of proof
and they take a look at their subjects and eventually they may arrive at their
standards. They may arrive at the point which say would constitute a proof.
But then they ask for a proof of the proof.