The Underground Man's Laws Of Reason

According to the Underground Man, two times two does not have to equal four. He feels two times two can equal five by using free will. He believes the laws of reason and logic hold him back from using his free will, so he chooses to think otherwise out of spite. Logically, two times two will always equal four, because the rules of reason explain why four is the quotient of two times two. The word reason is defined as the process of using logical thinking to come to a conclusion. While the laws of reason and logic are basically written in stone, the Underground Man tends to think otherwise. He views this idea of two times two equals four to be absurd, because he does not like the idea of laws (p.713). He feels this interferes with free will, because if he has to accept two times two equals four, then he is not truly free to make his own decisions and come up with his own conclusions.

He feels the stone wall holds mankind back from living up to its full potential in using free will to think freely. The Underground Man states those who choose to disagree with the laws of reason will be ridiculed and made fun of; Those who agree with the stone wall will convince nonbelievers they are wrong and will tell them they are obliged to accept it as it is