the+critique+of+pure+reason_纯粹理性批判-第38部分
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bination (nexus) is the synthesis of a manifold; in so far as its
parts do belong necessarily to each other; for example; the accident
to a substance; or the effect to the cause。 Consequently it is a
synthesis of that which though heterogeneous; is represented as
connected a priori。 This bination… not an arbitrary one… I
entitle dynamical because it concerns the connection of the
existence of the manifold。 This; again; may be divided into the
physical synthesis; of the phenomena divided among each other; and the
metaphysical synthesis; or the connection of phenomena a priori in the
faculty of cognition。
1。 AXIOMS OF INTUITION。
The principle of these is: All Intuitions are Extensive
Quantities。
PROOF。
All phenomena contain; as regards their form; an intuition in
space and time; which lies a priori at the foundation of all without
exception。 Phenomena; therefore; cannot be apprehended; that is;
received into empirical consciousness otherwise than through the
synthesis of a manifold; through which the representations of a
determinate space or time are generated; that is to say; through the
position of the homogeneous and the consciousness of the
synthetical unity of this manifold (homogeneous)。 Now the
consciousness of a homogeneous manifold in intuition; in so far as
thereby the representation of an object is rendered possible; is the
conception of a quantity (quanti)。 Consequently; even the perception
of an object as phenomenon is possible only through the same
synthetical unity of the manifold of the given sensuous intuition;
through which the unity of the position of the homogeneous manifold
in the conception of a quantity is cogitated; that is to say; all
phenomena are quantities; and extensive quantities; because as
intuitions in space or time they must be represented by means of the
same synthesis through which space and time themselves are determined。
An extensive quantity I call that wherein the representation of
the parts renders possible (and therefore necessarily antecedes) the
representation of the whole。 I cannot represent to myself any line;
however small; without drawing it in thought; that is; without
generating from a point all its parts one after another; and in this
way alone producing this intuition。 Precisely the same is the case
with every; even the smallest; portion of time。 I cogitate therein
only the successive progress from one moment to another; and hence; by
means of the different portions of time and the addition of them; a
determinate quantity of time is produced。 As the pure intuition in all
phenomena is either time or space; so is every phenomenon in its
character of intuition an extensive quantity; inasmuch as it can
only be cognized in our apprehension by successive synthesis (from
part to part)。 All phenomena are; accordingly; to be considered as
aggregates; that is; as a collection of previously given parts;
which is not the case with every sort of quantities; but only with
those which are represented and apprehended by us as extensive。
On this successive synthesis of the productive imagination; in the
generation of figures; is founded the mathematics of extension; or
geometry; with its axioms; which express the conditions of sensuous
intuition a priori; under which alone the schema of a pure
conception of external intuition can exist; for example; 〃be tween two
points only one straight line is possible;〃 〃two straight lines cannot
enclose a space;〃 etc。 These are the axioms which properly relate only
to quantities (quanta) as such。
But; as regards the quantity of a thing (quantitas); that is to say;
the answer to the question: 〃How large is this or that object?〃
although; in respect to this question; we have various propositions
synthetical and immediately certain (indemonstrabilia); we have; in
the proper sense of the term; no axioms。 For example; the
propositions: 〃If equals be added to equals; the wholes are equal〃;
〃If equals be taken from equals; the remainders are equal〃; are
analytical; because I am immediately conscious of the identity of
the production of the one quantity with the production of the other;
whereas axioms must be a priori synthetical propositions。 On the other
hand; the self…evident propositions as to the relation of numbers; are
certainly synthetical but not universal; like those of geometry; and
for this reason cannot be called axioms; but numerical formulae。
That 7 + 5 = 12 is not an analytical proposition。 For neither in the
representation of seven; nor of five; nor of the position of the
two numbers; do I cogitate the number twelve。 (Whether I cogitate
the number in the addition of both; is not at present the question;
for in the case of an analytical proposition; the only point is
whether I really cogitate the predicate in the representation of the
subject。) But although the proposition is synthetical; it is
nevertheless only a singular proposition。 In so far as regard is
here had merely to the synthesis of the homogeneous (the units); it
cannot take place except in one manner; although our use of these
numbers is afterwards general。 If I say: 〃A triangle can be
constructed with three lines; any two of which taken together are
greater than the third;〃 I exercise merely the pure function of the
productive imagination; which may draw the lines longer or shorter and
construct the angles at its pleasure。 On the contrary; the number
seven is possible only in one manner; and so is likewise the number
twelve; which results from the synthesis of seven and five。 Such
propositions; then; cannot be termed axioms (for in that case we
should have an infinity of these); but numerical formulae。
This transcendental principle of the mathematics of phenomena
greatly enlarges our a priori cognition。 For it is by this principle
alone that pure mathematics is rendered applicable in all its
precision to objects of experience; and without it the validity of
this application would not be so self…evident; on the contrary;
contradictions and confusions have often arisen on this very point。
Phenomena are not things in themselves。 Empirical intuition is
possible only through pure intuition (of space and time);
consequently; what geometry affirms of the latter; is indisputably
valid of the former。 All evasions; such as the statement that
objects of sense do not conform to the rules of construction in
space (for example; to the rule of the infinite divisibility of
lines or angles); must fall to the ground。 For; if these objections
hold good; we deny to space; and with it to all mathematics; objective
validity; and no longer know wherefore; and how far; mathematics can
be applied to phenomena。 The synthesis of spaces and times as the
essential form of all intuition; is that which renders possible the
apprehension of a phenomenon; and therefore every external experience;
consequently all cognition of the objects of experience; and
whatever mathematics in its pure use proves of the former; must
necessarily hold good of the latter。 All objections are but the
chicaneries of an ill…instructed reason; which erroneously thinks to
liberate the objects of sense from the formal conditions of our
sensibility; and represents these; although mere phenomena; as
things in themselves; presented as such to our understanding。 But in
this case; no a priori synthetical cognition of them could be
possible; consequently not through pure conceptions of space and the
science which determines these conceptions; that is to say;
geometry; would itself be impossible。
2。 ANTICIPATIONS OF PERCEPTION。
The principle of these is: In all phenomena the Real; that
which is an object of sensation; has Intensive Quantity;
that is; has a Degree。
PROOF。
Perception is empirical consciousness; that is to say; a
consciousness which contains an element of sensation。 Phenomena as
objects of perception are not pure; that is; merely formal intuitions;
like space and time; for they cannot be perceived in themselves。
They contain; then; over and above the intuition; the materials for an
object (through which is represented something existing in space or
time); that is to say; they contain the real of sensation; as a
representation merely subjective; which gives us merely the
consciousness that the subject is affected; and which we refer to some
external object。 Now; a gradual transition from empirical
consciousness to pure consciousness is possible; inasmuch as the
real in this consciousness entirely vanishes; and there remains a
merely formal consciousness (a priori) of the manifold in time and
space; consequently there is possible a synthesis also of the
production of the quantity of a sensation from its mencement;
that is; from the pure intuition = 0 onwards up to a certain
quantity of the sensation。 Now as sensation in itself is not an
objective representation; and in it is to be found neither the
intuition of space nor of time; it cannot possess any extensive
quantity; and yet there does belong to it a quantity (and that by
means of its apprehensi