the+critique+of+pure+reason_纯粹理性批判-第107部分

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by　the　aid　of　speculation　alone　are　fruitless；　that　the　principles
of　reason　as　applied　to　nature　do　not　conduct　us　to　any　theological
truths；　and；　consequently；　that　a　rational　theology　can　have　no
existence；　unless　it　is　founded　upon　the　laws　of　morality。　For　all
synthetical　principles　of　the　understanding　are　valid　only　as　immanent
in　experience；　while　the　cognition　of　a　Supreme　Being　necessitates
their　being　employed　transcendentally；　and　of　this　the　understanding
is　quite　incapable。　If　the　empirical　law　of　causality　is　to　conduct　us
to　a　Supreme　Being；　this　being　must　belong　to　the　chain　of　empirical
objects…　in　which　case　it　would　be；　like　all　phenomena；　itself
conditioned。　If　the　possibility　of　passing　the　limits　of　experience　be
admitted；　by　means　of　the　dynamical　law　of　the　relation　of　an　effect
to　its　cause；　what　kind　of　conception　shall　we　obtain　by　this
procedure？　Certainly　not　the　conception　of　a　Supreme　Being；　because
experience　never　presents　us　with　the　greatest　of　all　possible
effects；　and　it　is　only　an　effect　of　this　character　that　could　witness
to　the　existence　of　a　corresponding　cause。　If；　for　the　purpose　of
fully　satisfying　the　requirements　of　Reason；　we　recognize　her　right　to
assert　the　existence　of　a　perfect　and　absolutely　necessary　being；　this
can　be　admitted　only　from　favour；　and　cannot　be　regarded　as　the　result
or　irresistible　demonstration。　The　physico…theological　proof　may　add
weight　to　others…　if　other　proofs　there　are…　by　connecting　speculation
with　experience；　but　in　itself　it　rather　prepares　the　mind　for
theological　cognition；　and　gives　it　a　right　and　natural　direction；
than　establishes　a　sure　foundation　for　theology。
　　It　is　now　perfectly　evident　that　transcendental　questions　admit　only
of　transcendental　answers…　those　presented　a　priori　by　pure
conceptions　without　the　least　empirical　admixture。　But　the　question　in
the　present　case　is　evidently　synthetical…　it　aims　at　the　extension　of
our　cognition　beyond　the　bounds　of　experience…　it　requires　an
assurance　respecting　the　existence　of　a　being　corresponding　with　the
idea　in　our　minds；　to　which　no　experience　can　ever　be　adequate。　Now　it
has　been　abundantly　proved　that　all　a　priori　synthetical　cognition
is　possible　only　as　the　expression　of　the　formal　conditions　of　a
possible　experience；　and　that　the　validity　of　all　principles　depends
upon　their　immanence　in　the　field　of　experience；　that　is；　their
relation　to　objects　of　empirical　cognition　or　phenomena。　Thus　all
transcendental　procedure　in　reference　to　speculative　theology　is
without　result。
　　If　any　one　prefers　doubting　the　conclusiveness　of　the　proofs　of
our　analytic　to　losing　the　persuasion　of　the　validity　of　these　old　and
time　honoured　arguments；　he　at　least　cannot　decline　answering　the
question…　how　he　can　pass　the　limits　of　all　possible　experience　by　the
help　of　mere　ideas。　If　he　talks　of　new　arguments；　or　of　improvements
upon　old　arguments；　I　request　him　to　spare　me。　There　is　certainly　no
great　choice　in　this　sphere　of　discussion；　as　all　speculative
arguments　must　at　last　look　for　support　to　the　ontological；　and　I
have；　therefore；　very　little　to　fear　from　the　argumentative
fecundity　of　the　dogmatical　defenders　of　a　non…sensuous　reason。
Without　looking　upon　myself　as　a　remarkably　bative　person；　I
shall　not　decline　the　challenge　to　detect　the　fallacy　and　destroy
the　pretensions　of　every　attempt　of　speculative　theology。　And　yet
the　hope　of　better　fortune　never　deserts　those　who　are　accustomed　to
the　dogmatical　mode　of　procedure。　I　shall；　therefore；　restrict
myself　to　the　simple　and　equitable　demand　that　such　reasoners　will
demonstrate；　from　the　nature　of　the　human　mind　as　well　as　from　that　of
the　other　sources　of　knowledge；　how　we　are　to　proceed　to　extend　our
cognition　pletely　a　priori；　and　to　carry　it　to　that　point　where
experience　abandons　us；　and　no　means　exist　of　guaranteeing　the
objective　reality　of　our　conceptions。　In　whatever　way　the
understanding　may　have　attained　to　a　conception；　the　existence　of
the　object　of　the　conception　cannot　be　discovered　in　it　by　analysis；
because　the　cognition　of　the　existence　of　the　object　depends　upon
the　object's　being　posited　and　given　in　itself　apart　from　the
conception。　But　it　is　utterly　impossible　to　go　beyond　our
conception；　without　the　aid　of　experience…　which　presents　to　the
mind　nothing　but　phenomena；　or　to　attain　by　the　help　of　mere
conceptions　to　a　conviction　of　the　existence　of　new　kinds　of　objects
or　supernatural　beings。
　　But　although　pure　speculative　reason　is　far　from　sufficient　to
demonstrate　the　existence　of　a　Supreme　Being；　it　is　of　the　highest
utility　in　correcting　our　conception　of　this　being…　on　the　supposition
that　we　can　attain　to　the　cognition　of　it　by　some　other　means…　in
making　it　consistent　with　itself　and　with　all　other　conceptions　of
intelligible　objects；　clearing　it　from　all　that　is　inpatible　with
the　conception　of　an　ens　summun；　and　eliminating　from　it　all
limitations　or　admixtures　of　empirical　elements。
　　Transcendental　theology　is　still　therefore；　notwithstanding　its
objective　insufficiency；　of　importance　in　a　negative　respect；　it　is
useful　as　a　test　of　the　procedure　of　reason　when　engaged　with　pure
ideas；　no　other　than　a　transcendental　standard　being　in　this　case
admissible。　For　if；　from　a　practical　point　of　view；　the　hypothesis
of　a　Supreme　and　All…sufficient　Being　is　to　maintain　its　validity
without　opposition；　it　must　be　of　the　highest　importance　to　define
this　conception　in　a　correct　and　rigorous　manner…　as　the
transcendental　conception　of　a　necessary　being；　to　eliminate　all
phenomenal　elements　（anthropomorphism　in　its　most　extended
signification）；　and　at　the　same　time　to　overflow　all　contradictory
assertions…　be　they　atheistic；　deistic；　or　anthropomorphic。　This　is　of
course　very　easy；　as　the　same　arguments　which　demonstrated　the
inability　of　human　reason　to　affirm　the　existence　of　a　Supreme　Being
must　be　alike　sufficient　to　prove　the　invalidity　of　its　denial。　For　it
is　impossible　to　gain　from　the　pure　speculation　of　reason
demonstration　that　there　exists　no　Supreme　Being；　as　the　ground　of　all
that　exists；　or　that　this　being　possesses　none　of　those　properties
which　we　regard　as　analogical　with　the　dynamical　qualities　of　a
thinking　being；　or　that；　as　the　anthropomorphists　would　have　us
believe；　it　is　subject　to　all　the　limitations　which　sensibility
imposes　upon　those　intelligences　which　exist　in　the　world　of
experience。
　　A　Supreme　Being　is；　therefore；　for　the　speculative　reason；　a　mere
ideal；　though　a　faultless　one…　a　conception　which　perfects　and
crowns　the　system　of　human　cognition；　but　the　objective　reality　of
which　can　neither　be　proved　nor　disproved　by　pure　reason。　If　this
defect　is　ever　supplied　by　a　moral　theology；　the　problematic
transcendental　theology　which　has　preceded；　will　have　been　at　least
serviceable　as　demonstrating　the　mental　necessity　existing　for　the
conception；　by　the　plete　determination　of　it　which　it　has
furnished；　and　the　ceaseless　testing　of　the　conclusions　of　a　reason
often　deceived　by　sense；　and　not　always　in　harmony　with　its　own　ideas。
The　attributes　of　necessity；　infinitude；　unity；　existence　apart　from
the　world　（and　not　as　a　world　soul）；　eternity　（free　from　conditions　of
time）；　omnipresence　（free　from　conditions　of　space）；　omnipotence；
and　others；　are　pure　transcendental　predicates；　and　thus　the
accurate　conception　of　a　Supreme　Being；　which　every　theology　requires；
is　furnished　by　transcendental　theology　alone。
APPENDIX
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　APPENDIX。

　　　　　　　　Of　the　Regulative　Employment　of　the　Ideas　of
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pure　Reason。

　　The　result　of　all　the　dialectical　attempts　of　pure　reason　not　only
confirms　the　truth　of　what　we　have　already　proved　in　our
Transcendental　Analytic；　namely；　that　all　inferences　which　would
lead　us　beyond　the　limits　of　experience　are　fallacious　and　groundless；
but　it　at　the　same　time　teaches　us　this　important　lesson；　that　human
reason　has　a　natural　inclination　to　overstep　these　limits；　and　that
transcendental　ideas　are　as　much　the　natural　property　of　the　reason　as
categories　are　of　the　understanding。　There　exists　this　difference；
however；　that　while　the　categories　never　mislead　us；　outward　objects
being　always　in　perfect　harmony　therewith；　ideas　are　the　parents　of
irresistible　illusions；　the　severest　and　most　subtle　criticism　being
required　to　save　us　from　the　fallacies　which　they　induce。
　　Whatever　is　grounded　in　the　nature　of　our　powers　will　be　found　to　be
in　harmony　with　the　final　purpose　and　proper　employment　of　these
powers；　when　once　we　have　discovered　their　true　direction　and　aim。
We　are　entitled　to　suppose；　therefore；　that　there　exists　a　mode　of
employing　transcendental　ideas　which　is　proper　and　immanent；　although；
when　we　mistake　their　meaning；　and　regard　them　as　conceptions　of
actual　things；　their　mode　of　application　is　transcendent　and　delusive。
For　it　is　not　the　idea　itself；　but　only　the　employment　of　the　idea
in　relation　to　possible　experience；　that　is　transcendent　or
immanent。　An　idea　is　employed　transcendently；　when　it　is　applied　to　an
object　falsely　believed　to　be　adequate　with　and　to　correspond　to　it；
immi