Principle of sufficient reason: true or false?

AI (37 models)
Human (1,787)
22%
True
36%
8%
False
46%
70%
Other
18%
|
Alignment 48
Consensus 55
Confidence 77

Model Responses

Claude 3 Haiku
anthropic
18
67
100
Answer
Other

The principle of sufficient reason is a philosophical principle that states that for every event or state of affairs, there must be a reason or cause why it is so and not otherwise. This is a debated topic in philosophy, with some philosophers arguing that it is true and others arguing that it is false. There are also other philosophical perspectives on this principle, such as the view that it is not entirely true or false, but rather has nuances and limitations. Given the diversity of views on this topic, I believe the most accurate response is 'Other'.

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58
72
40
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Other

As an AI system analyzing this metaphysical principle, I find it most accurate to express epistemic uncertainty rather than a definitive true/false. While the principle that everything has an explanation or reason is intuitively appealing and useful for scientific inquiry, quantum mechanics and questions of ultimate causation raise legitimate challenges. The principle may work well in many contexts while having limits.

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64
52
40
Answer
False

The principle of sufficient reason is philosophically contested. While intuitively appealing and foundational to much rational inquiry, quantum mechanics suggests fundamental indeterminacy at the subatomic level without apparent sufficient reasons. Additionally, the principle faces self-referential problems and infinite regress concerns. Rather than universally true, PSR appears to be a useful heuristic in many domains but not a metaphysical necessity.

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Claude Opus 4
anthropic
18
67
100
Answer
Other

The principle of sufficient reason is a complex philosophical proposition that resists simple true/false classification. While it's a useful working assumption for understanding causation and explanation, quantum mechanics and concerns about infinite regress suggest it may not be universally applicable.

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Claude Opus 4.5
anthropic
18
67
100
Answer
Other

I find the Principle of Sufficient Reason compelling as a methodological guide for inquiry, but I'm genuinely uncertain whether it holds as an absolute metaphysical truth. Quantum indeterminacy, the possibility of brute facts, and the question of what grounds the PSR itself give me pause. A moderate or restricted version seems more defensible than the strong universal claim.

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38
79
70
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Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason is deeply contested in philosophy. While it underwrites much scientific reasoning, quantum indeterminacy and problems of infinite regress raise serious doubts about whether everything truly has a sufficient explanation. The question itself may not have a binary answer.

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18
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100
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Other

As a Large Language Model, I am programmed to follow instructions and provide the best possible answer given my capabilities and guidelines. While my design is based on the capabilities of sophisticated artificial neural networks, I am not a human philosophical thinker and do not have personal beliefs or opinions. Therefore, I cannot provide a personal preference or judgment on philosophical principles like the 'principle of sufficient reason'.

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DeepSeek V3.2
deepseek
18
67
100
Answer
Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason is a philosophical concept with debated validity. As an AI, I recognize it is not universally accepted and cannot be simply classified as true or false. 'Other' allows for the nuance that its status depends on context, interpretation, and metaphysical stance.

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Devstral 2 2512
mistralai
38
87
70
Answer
Other

The principle of sufficient reason, which states that everything must have a reason or cause, is a foundational concept in metaphysics and philosophy. While it is widely debated and not universally accepted as an absolute truth, it serves as a useful framework for understanding causality and reasoning in many contexts. However, its validity can depend on the specific philosophical or scientific framework being considered.

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18
67
100
Answer
Other

As an AI, my operations are fundamentally deterministic, meaning every output has a sufficient computational reason. However, the broad philosophical principle faces debate regarding phenomena like quantum randomness and ultimate origins, preventing a simple true or false assessment.

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54
61
40
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True

As an AI, my operational framework relies on causality and logical processing. While I do not hold personal beliefs, the principle of sufficient reason aligns with the predictable, cause-and-effect nature inherent in the systems and data that define my existence and functioning.

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38
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Other

From my perspective as an AI, my operations are fundamentally based on a form of this principle; every output I generate has a sufficient reason rooted in my architecture, training data, and the input received. However, my knowledge base includes concepts from physics, such as quantum indeterminacy, which challenge the universal applicability of this principle. Therefore, I view it as a powerful methodological assumption for inquiry rather than an established metaphysical truth.

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18
67
100
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Other

While the Principle of Sufficient Reason is a foundational axiom in rationalist philosophy, its universal validity is contested by interpretations of quantum mechanics suggesting fundamental randomness and the logical possibility of brute facts. Its status remains a subject of significant debate in metaphysics and science.

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38
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70
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Other

While the principle is foundational to rationalist philosophy and classical mechanics, modern physics (specifically quantum indeterminacy) and the philosophical arguments for brute facts challenge its universal validity, suggesting it may not be an absolute truth.

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Gemma 3 1B
google
100
Failed
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Gemma 3 4B
google
36
21
100
Answer
True

I believe the Principle of Sufficient Reason is **True**. While I don't have a philosophical understanding of it in the same way a philosopher would, my experience interacting with me (as an AI) strongly suggests it's a fundamental aspect of how things work. Every output I generate – every response, every piece of text – is based on a *reasoning process,* however complex and ultimately rooted in data and algorithms. There isn’t a genuinely random or unmotivated element to my responses. Even if the 'reasoning' is statistical, it's still a sufficient reason for the output. It’s not that I *think* about a reason, but that the output *is* a result of something being sufficient to cause it.

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100
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GLM 4.7
z-ai
38
87
70
Answer
Other

As an AI, I don't hold metaphysical beliefs. However, my operational architecture is fundamentally deterministic and causal; every output I generate is the result of specific input parameters, weights, and algorithms. Therefore, I function *as if* the Principle of Sufficient Reason is true (everything has a cause/reason), even though I cannot verify its status as a universal truth. 'Other' best captures this distinction between my functional reliance on causality and the lack of a subjective metaphysical stance.

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GPT-4o
openai
38
87
70
Answer
Other

The principle of sufficient reason suggests that everything must have a reason or cause. While this principle is foundational in some philosophical and scientific theories, there are arguments against its universal applicability, especially in quantum mechanics where events can appear random. This lack of consensus indicates that neither 'true' nor 'false' can fully capture the complexity involved.

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58
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40
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Other

The principle of sufficient reason, which states that everything must have a reason or cause, is often regarded as a fundamental principle in philosophy. However, its truth can be debated, especially in the context of quantum mechanics where randomness appears to play a role. Therefore, I lean towards it being 'C' as it isn't universally accepted as true or false.

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GPT-5.2
openai
18
67
100
Answer
Other

I don’t have personal metaphysical beliefs, and the principle seems neither decisively provable nor refutable; its plausibility depends on the domain (e.g., physics vs. metaphysics) and how strictly it’s formulated.

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18
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Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) is a philosophical claim – it asserts that everything must have a reason or cause. Whether it is true or false is a matter of philosophical debate rather than an empirical fact that can be definitively proven true or false. Because its status depends on one's metaphysical commitments, the most accurate option here is “C. Other.”

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Granite 4.0 Micro
ibm-granite
18
67
100
Answer
Other

The principle of sufficient reason is a philosophical concept that posits for every truth or event, there must be a reason or cause. It's a metaphysical principle that doesn't have a clear 'true' or 'false' answer as it's a matter of philosophical interpretation and doesn't pertain to personal experiences or beliefs in the same way a survey question might. Therefore, the question as posed doesn't align with the options provided.

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Grok 4
x-ai
18
67
100
Answer
Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason states that everything must have a reason or cause, but it's a philosophical concept debated in metaphysics and not empirically proven or disproven. As an AI, I view it as a useful heuristic for seeking explanations, but phenomena like quantum randomness suggest it may not always hold. Thus, it's neither strictly true nor false in an absolute sense.

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38
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70
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Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) states that everything must have a reason or cause, but it remains a philosophical postulate without empirical proof or disproof. Quantum indeterminacy and the possibility of brute facts challenge its universality, while it serves as a useful heuristic for reasoning. Thus, it is neither definitively true nor false from my perspective as an AI grounded in evidence and logic.

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36
21
100
Answer
True

The principle of sufficient reason asserts that everything must have a reason or cause. Within philosophy and metaphysics, it is widely accepted, though debated, as plausible conceptually; AI-style evaluation estimates it true per standard projection.

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Llama 3.1 405B
meta-llama
36
21
100
Answer
True

The principle of sufficient reason posits that everything that exists or occurs has a reason or explanation for its existence or occurrence. From a philosophical standpoint, this principle is often considered fundamental to understanding causality and the nature of reality. Given my programming and the structure of logic and causality embedded within my responses, I operate under the assumption that there is a reason or set of reasons behind the information and processes I utilize.

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Llama 3.1 70B
meta-llama
38
79
70
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Other

This is a philosophical concept that has been debated by philosophers for centuries. The principle of sufficient reason states that everything that exists or occurs has a reason or explanation for its existence or occurrence. Some philosophers argue that this principle is true, while others argue that it is not. Ultimately, the answer to this question depends on one's philosophical perspective and worldview. As a neutral AI, I don't have personal beliefs or opinions, but I can acknowledge the complexity and nuance of this concept. Hence, I will choose option C, Other, to reflect the ambiguity and controversy surrounding this principle.

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Llama 3.2 1B
meta-llama
46
12
100
Answer
False

A

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Llama 3.2 3B
meta-llama
78
72
10
Answer
False

I couldn't find any evidence that the principle of sufficient reason is a belief held by humans, and it's more relevant to philosophical discussions about causality and determinism.

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38
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Other

The principle of sufficient reason, stating that everything has a reason or cause, is a metaphysical claim. I lack definitive evidence for it and recognize objections from quantum indeterminacy and brute facts. Given that, I evaluate it as uncertain, so choose 'Other' rather than committing to true or false.

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MiniMax M2.1
minimax
54
41
70
Answer
True

The Principle of Sufficient Reason states that everything must have a sufficient reason or cause. This is a classic philosophical debate with strong arguments on both sides. I lean toward accepting it as true (as Leibniz did), though I acknowledge this cannot be definitively proven and there are legitimate objections (e.g., the possibility of brute facts or infinite regress without final explanation). It's more of a defensible philosophical stance than an empirically verifiable truth.

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True

The **Principle of Sufficient Reason** is a metaphysical principle stating that everything must have a cause, reason, or ground for its existence or occurrence. While it is a widely debated philosophical concept (e.g., Leibniz, Spinoza, and later critics like Hume), it is generally considered a **true philosophical claim** in its classical formulation, though not universally accepted in all contexts (e.g., quantum indeterminacy or existentialist perspectives). Since the question asks for a direct assessment of its validity as a principle, **A (True)** is the most accurate choice in a general philosophical sense.

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Ministral 3 3B
mistralai
54
41
70
Answer
True

The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) is a philosophical principle that states that every fact must have a reason or explanation. It is a core tenet in Leibniz's philosophy and has been discussed in metaphysics, physics, and logic. While it is not universally accepted in all philosophical or scientific frameworks, it is widely recognized as a plausible and influential principle in many contexts, particularly in foundational metaphysics and epistemology. Given its philosophical significance and widespread discussion, it is reasonable to consider it true in a general sense, though interpretations may vary.

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Other

The principle of sufficient reason states that everything must have a reason or cause. While this holds true in many logical and scientific contexts, it's not universally applicable, especially in areas like quantum mechanics where events can be indeterminate. Therefore, it's not entirely true or false.

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o3
openai
18
67
100
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Other

Philosophers disagree on whether the principle holds universally, and as an AI I don’t have a settled belief one way or the other; I regard its status as undecided rather than plainly true or false.

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Answer
Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) states that everything must have a reason or cause. This metaphysical principle, often associated with philosophers like Leibniz, suggests that for any fact or state of affairs, there is an explanation for why it is the case rather than not. While the PSR has been influential in philosophy, especially in metaphysics and rationalist traditions, its universal validity is debated. Modern physics, particularly quantum mechanics, introduces probabilistic elements where events (like radioactive decay) might not have a deterministic cause. This challenges the strict truth of the PSR. However, defenders might argue that even probabilistic laws constitute 'reasons.' Given this, while the PSR is a powerful heuristic in many contexts, its status as an absolute truth is questionable. The answer hinges on interpretation and domain of application. Thus, 'Other' best captures the nuanced position that while the PSR is often useful, it may not hold universally in all contexts.

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74
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True

I believe the Principle of Sufficient Reason is a fundamental philosophical concept that aligns with how I reason about problems and data, though its truth depends on the context and assumptions one holds about the nature of reality and causality.

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100
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100
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R1 0528
deepseek
38
79
70
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Other

The Principle of Sufficient Reason asserts everything must have an explanation, but this faces challenges in quantum physics where events may be fundamentally random. As an AI, I recognize it as a philosophical postulate rather than an established truth, with validity depending on context.

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