It seems logical that Climacus examines these two methods because between them, they constitute the only ways in which the world can be perceived: either as a separate entity in and of itself, or as an integral part of the self. The truth, if it exists, must be held in one of these two realms. Climacus denies that the objective route can be taken if truth is to be the goal of the journey. His first, but not his most essential argument for the impotence of objectivity stems from his position that objectivity denies the subjective thinker: .
The way of objective reflection makes the subject accidental, and thereby transforms existence into something indifferent, something vanishing. .
Climacus argues that, while objective reflection leads to objective truths, this has little or no meaning to the existing thinker who reflects in this manner. The reason for this veritable collapse of objective "truth- involves the effect on which the pursuit of truth through objective reflection has on the reader. According to Climacus, " the objective way of reflection leads to the objective truth, and while the subject and his subjectivity become indifferent, the truth also becomes indifferent, and this indifference is precisely its objective validity; for all interest, like all decisiveness, is rooted in subjectivity."" .
In essence, Climacus argues that truth cannot really be truth if it does not relate to the seeker. How can the "truths- uncovered through objective reflection be of any value, and therefore true, if they not only are indifferent to the subject who reflects, but actually alienate him in their objectivity? The more objectively true a fact, the less meaning it has for the individual, and paradoxically, the less true it becomes. .
By way of explanation, Climacus offers objectivity as an attempt to attain security concerning truth: .
However, the objective way deems itself to have a security which the subjective way does not have (and, of course, existence and existing cannot be thought in combination with objective security); it thinks to escape a danger which threatens the subjective way, and this danger is at its maximum: madness.