the+critique+of+pure+reason_纯粹理性批判-第147章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


must　be　opposed　on　subjective　grounds；　while　the　possibility　of　this
being　in　itself　cannot　with　justice　be　denied）；　or；　both　propositions；
being　dialectical　in　their　nature；　are　based　upon　an　impossible
conception。　In　this　latter　case　the　rule　applies：　non　entis　nulla　sunt
predicata；　that　is　to　say；　what　we　affirm　and　what　we　deny；　respecting
such　an　object；　are　equally　untrue；　and　the　apagogic　mode　of
arriving　at　the　truth　is　in　this　case　impossible。　If；　for　example；
we　presuppose　that　the　world　of　sense　is　given　in　itself　in　its
totality；　it　is　false；　either　that　it　is　infinite；　or　that　it　is
finite　and　limited　in　space。　Both　are　false；　because　the　hypothesis　is
false。　For　the　notion　of　phenomena　（as　mere　representations）　which　are
given　in　themselves　（as　objects）　is　self…contradictory；　and　the
infinitude　of　this　imaginary　whole　would；　indeed；　be　unconditioned；
but　would　be　inconsistent　（as　everything　in　the　phenomenal　world　is
conditioned）　with　the　unconditioned　determination　and　finitude　of
quantities　which　is　presupposed　in　our　conception。
　　The　apagogic　mode　of　proof　is　the　true　source　of　those　illusions
which　have　always　had　so　strong　an　attraction　for　the　admirers　of
dogmatical　philosophy。　It　may　be　pared　to　a　champion　who
maintains　the　honour　and　claims　of　the　party　he　has　adopted　by
offering　battle　to　all　who　doubt　the　validity　of　these　claims　and
the　purity　of　that　honour；　while　nothing　can　be　proved　in　this　way；
except　the　respective　strength　of　the　batants；　and　the　advantage；
in　this　respect；　is　always　on　the　side　of　the　attacking　party。
Spectators；　observing　that　each　party　is　alternately　conqueror　and
conquered；　are　led　to　regard　the　subject　of　dispute　as　beyond　the
power　of　man　to　decide　upon。　But　such　an　opinion　cannot　be
justified；　and　it　is　sufficient　to　apply　to　these　reasoners　the
remark：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Non　defensoribus　istis
　　　　　　　　Tempus　eget。

　　Each　must　try　to　establish　his　assertions　by　a　transcendental
deduction　of　the　grounds　of　proof　employed　in　his　argument；　and　thus
enable　us　to　see　in　what　way　the　claims　of　reason　may　be　supported。　If
an　opponent　bases　his　assertions　upon　subjective　grounds；　he　may　be
refuted　with　ease；　not；　however　to　the　advantage　of　the　dogmatist；　who
likewise　depends　upon　subjective　sources　of　cognition　and　is　in　like
manner　driven　into　a　corner　by　his　opponent。　But；　if　parties　employ
the　direct　method　of　procedure；　they　will　soon　discover　the
difficulty；　nay；　the　impossibility　of　proving　their　assertions；　and
will　be　forced　to　appeal　to　prescription　and　precedence；　or　they　will；
by　the　help　of　criticism；　discover　with　ease　the　dogmatical
illusions　by　which　they　had　been　mocked；　and　pel　reason　to　renounce
its　exaggerated　pretensions　to　speculative　insight　and　to　confine
itself　within　the　limits　of　its　proper　sphere…　that　of　practical
principles。
　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II。　The　Canon　of　Pure　Reason。

　　It　is　a　humiliating　consideration　for　human　reason　that　it　is
inpetent　to　discover　truth　by　means　of　pure　speculation；　but；　on
the　contrary；　stands　in　need　of　discipline　to　check　its　deviations
from　the　straight　path　and　to　expose　the　illusions　which　it
originates。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　this　consideration　ought　to
elevate　and　to　give　it　confidence；　for　this　discipline　is　exercised　by
itself　alone；　and　it　is　subject　to　the　censure　of　no　other　power。
The　bounds；　moreover；　which　it　is　forced　to　set　to　its　speculative
exercise；　form　likewise　a　check　upon　the　fallacious　pretensions　of
opponents；　and　thus　what　remains　of　its　possessions；　after　these
exaggerated　claims　have　been　disallowed；　is　secure　from　attack　or
usurpation。　The　greatest；　and　perhaps　the　only；　use　of　all
philosophy　of　pure　reason　is；　accordingly；　of　a　purely　negative
character。　It　is　not　an　organon　for　the　extension；　but　a　discipline
for　the　determination；　of　the　limits　of　its　exercise；　and　without
laying　claim　to　the　discovery　of　new　truth；　it　has　the　modest　merit　of
guarding　against　error。
　　At　the　same　time；　there　must　be　some　source　of　positive　cognitions
which　belong　to　the　domain　of　pure　reason　and　which　bee　the
causes　of　error　only　from　our　mistaking　their　true　character；　while
they　form　the　goal　towards　which　reason　continually　strives。　How
else　can　we　account　for　the　inextinguishable　desire　in　the　human
mind　to　find　a　firm　footing　in　some　region　beyond　the　limits　of　the
world　of　experience？　It　hopes　to　attain　to　the　possession　of　a
knowledge　in　which　it　has　the　deepest　interest。　It　enters　upon　the
path　of　pure　speculation；　but　in　vain。　We　have　some　reason；　however；
to　expect　that；　in　the　only　other　way　that　lies　open　to　it…　the　path
of　practical　reason…　it　may　meet　with　better　success。
　　I　understand　by　a　canon　a　list　of　the　a　priori　principles　of　the
proper　employment　of　certain　faculties　of　cognition。　Thus　general
logic；　in　its　analytical　department；　is　a　formal　canon　for　the
faculties　of　understanding　and　reason。　In　the　same　way；　Transcendental
Analytic　was　seen　to　be　a　canon　of　the　pure　understanding；　for　it
alone　is　petent　to　enounce　true　a　priori　synthetical　cognitions。
But；　when　no　proper　employment　of　a　faculty　of　cognition　is
possible；　no　canon　can　exist。　But　the　synthetical　cognition　of　pure
speculative　reason　is；　as　has　been　shown；　pletely　impossible。　There
cannot；　therefore；　exist　any　canon　for　the　speculative　exercise　of
this　faculty…　for　its　speculative　exercise　is　entirely　dialectical；
and；　consequently；　transcendental　logic；　in　this　respect；　is　merely
a　discipline；　and　not　a　canon。　If；　then；　there　is　any　proper　mode　of
employing　the　faculty　of　pure　reason…　in　which　case　there　must　be　a
canon　for　this　faculty…　this　canon　will　relate；　not　to　the
speculative；　but　to　the　practical　use　of　reason。　This　canon　we　now
proceed　to　investigate。

　　　　SECTION　I。　Of　the　Ultimate　End　of　the　Pure　Use　of　Reason。

　　There　exists　in　the　faculty　of　reason　a　natural　desire　to　venture
beyond　the　field　of　experience；　to　attempt　to　reach　the　utmost
bounds　of　all　cognition　by　the　help　of　ideas　alone；　and　not　to　rest
satisfied　until　it　has　fulfilled　its　course　and　raised　the　sum　of
its　cognitions　into　a　self…subsistent　systematic　whole。　Is　the
motive　for　this　endeavour　to　be　found　in　its　speculative；　or　in　its
practical　interests　alone？
　　Setting　aside；　at　present；　the　results　of　the　labours　of　pure　reason
in　its　speculative　exercise；　I　shall　merely　inquire　regarding　the
problems　the　solution　of　which　forms　its　ultimate　aim；　whether　reached
or　not；　and　in　relation　to　which　all　other　aims　are　but　partial　and
intermediate。　These　highest　aims　must；　from　the　nature　of　reason；
possess　plete　unity；　otherwise　the　highest　interest　of　humanity
could　not　be　successfully　promoted。
　　The　transcendental　speculation　of　reason　relates　to　three　things：
the　freedom　of　the　will；　the　immortality　of　the　soul；　and　the
existence　of　God。　The　speculative　interest　which　reason　has　in　those
questions　is　very　small；　and；　for　its　sake　alone；　we　should　not
undertake　the　labour　of　transcendental　investigation…　a　labour　full　of
toil　and　ceaseless　struggle。　We　should　be　loth　to　undertake　this
labour；　because　the　discoveries　we　might　make　would　not　be　of　the
smallest　use　in　the　sphere　of　concrete　or　physical　investigation。　We
may　find　out　that　the　will　is　free；　but　this　knowledge　only　relates　to
the　intelligible　cause　of　our　volition。　As　regards　the　phenomena　or
expressions　of　this　will；　that　is；　our　actions；　we　are　bound；　in
obedience　to　an　inviolable　maxim；　without　which　reason　cannot　be
employed　in　the　sphere　of　experience；　to　explain　these　in　the　same　way
as　we　explain　all　the　other　phenomena　of　nature；　that　is　to　say；
according　to　its　unchangeable　laws。　We　may　have　discovered　the
spirituality　and　immortality　of　the　soul；　but　we　cannot　employ　this
knowledge　to　explain　the　phenomena　of　this　life；　nor　the　peculiar
nature　of　the　future；　because　our　conception　of　an　incorporeal
nature　is　purely　negative　and　does　not　add　anything　to　our
knowledge；　and　the　only　inferences　to　be　drawn　from　it　are　purely
fictitious。　If；　again；　we　prove　the　existence　of　a　supreme
intelligence；　we　should　be　able　from　it　to　make　the　conformity　to