the+critique+of+pure+reason_纯粹理性批判-第81部分

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of　experience。　These　dialectical　propositions　are　so　many　attempts
to　solve　four　natural　and　unavoidable　problems　of　reason。　There　are
neither　more；　nor　can　there　be　less；　than　this　number；　because　there
are　no　other　series　of　synthetical　hypotheses；　limiting　a　priori　the
empirical　synthesis。
　　The　brilliant　claims　of　reason　striving　to　extend　its　dominion
beyond　the　limits　of　experience；　have　been　represented　above　only　in
dry　formulae；　which　contain　merely　the　grounds　of　its　pretensions。
They　have；　besides；　in　conformity　with　the　character　of　a
transcendental　philosophy；　been　freed　from　every　empirical　element；
although　the　full　splendour　of　the　promises　they　hold　out；　and　the
anticipations　they　excite；　manifests　itself　only　when　in　connection
with　empirical　cognitions。　In　the　application　of　them；　however；　and　in
the　advancing　enlargement　of　the　employment　of　reason；　while
struggling　to　rise　from　the　region　of　experience　and　to　soar　to
those　sublime　ideas；　philosophy　discovers　a　value　and　a　dignity；
which；　if　it　could　but　make　good　its　assertions；　would　raise　it　far
above　all　other　departments　of　human　knowledge…　professing；　as　it
does；　to　present　a　sure　foundation　for　our　highest　hopes　and　the
ultimate　aims　of　all　the　exertions　of　reason。　The　questions：　whether
the　world　has　a　beginning　and　a　limit　to　its　extension　in　space；
whether　there　exists　anywhere；　or　perhaps；　in　my　own　thinking　Self；　an
indivisible　and　indestructible　unity…　or　whether　nothing　but　what　is
divisible　and　transitory　exists；　whether　I　am　a　free　agent；　or；　like
other　beings；　am　bound　in　the　chains　of　nature　and　fate；　whether；
finally；　there　is　a　supreme　cause　of　the　world；　or　all　our　thought　and
speculation　must　end　with　nature　and　the　order　of　external　things…　are
questions　for　the　solution　of　which　the　mathematician　would
willingly　exchange　his　whole　science；　for　in　it　there　is　no
satisfaction　for　the　highest　aspirations　and　most　ardent　desires　of
humanity。　Nay；　it　may　even　be　said　that　the　true　value　of　mathematics…
that　pride　of　human　reason…　consists　in　this：　that　she　guides　reason
to　the　knowledge　of　nature…　in　her　greater　as　well　as　in　her　less
manifestations…　in　her　beautiful　order　and　regularity…　guides　her；
moreover；　to　an　insight　into　the　wonderful　unity　of　the　moving
forces　in　the　operations　of　nature；　far　beyond　the　expectations　of　a
philosophy　building　only　on　experience；　and　that　she　thus　encourages
philosophy　to　extend　the　province　of　reason　beyond　all　experience；　and
at　the　same　time　provides　it　with　the　most　excellent　materials　for
supporting　its　investigations；　in　so　far　as　their　nature　admits；　by
adequate　and　accordant　intuitions。
　　Unfortunately　for　speculation…　but　perhaps　fortunately　for　the
practical　interests　of　humanity…　reason；　in　the　midst　of　her　highest
anticipations；　finds　herself　hemmed　in　by　a　press　of　opposite　and
contradictory　conclusions；　from　which　neither　her　honour　nor　her
safety　will　permit　her　to　draw　back。　Nor　can　she　regard　these
conflicting　trains　of　reasoning　with　indifference　as　mere　passages
at　arms；　still　less　can　she　mand　peace；　for　in　the　subject　of　the
conflict　she　has　a　deep　interest。　There　is　no　other　course　left　open
to　her　than　to　reflect　with　herself　upon　the　origin　of　this　disunion
in　reason…　whether　it　may　not　arise　from　a　mere　misunderstanding。
After　such　an　inquiry；　arrogant　claims　would　have　to　be　given　up　on
both　sides；　but　the　sovereignty　of　reason　over　understanding　and　sense
would　be　based　upon　a　sure　foundation。
　　We　shall　at　present　defer　this　radical　inquiry　and；　in　the　meantime；
consider　for　a　little　what　side　in　the　controversy　we　should　most
willingly　take；　if　we　were　obliged　to　bee　partisans　at　all。　As；
in　this　case；　we　leave　out　of　sight　altogether　the　logical　criterion
of　truth；　and　merely　consult　our　own　interest　in　reference　to　the
question；　these　considerations；　although　inadequate　to　settle　the
question　of　right　in　either　party；　will　enable　us　to　prehend　how
those　who　have　taken　part　in　the　struggle；　adopt　the　one　view　rather
than　the　other…　no　special　insight　into　the　subject；　however；　having
influenced　their　choice。　They　will；　at　the　same　time；　explain　to　us
many　other　things　by　the　way…　for　example；　the　fiery　zeal　on　the　one
side　and　the　cold　maintenance　of　their　cause　on　the　other；　why　the　one
party　has　met　with　the　warmest　approbations；　and　the　other　has
always　been　repulsed　by　irreconcilable　prejudices。
　　There　is　one　thing；　however；　that　determines　the　proper　point　of
view；　from　which　alone　this　preliminary　inquiry　can　be　instituted
and　carried　on　with　the　proper　pleteness…　and　that　is　the
parison　of　the　principles　from　which　both　sides；　thesis　and
antithesis；　proceed。　My　readers　would　remark　in　the　propositions　of
the　antithesis　a　plete　uniformity　in　the　mode　of　thought　and　a
perfect　unity　of　principle。　Its　principle　was　that　of　pure　empiricism；
not　only　in　the　explication　of　the　phenomena　in　the　world；　but　also　in
the　solution　of　the　transcendental　ideas；　even　of　that　of　the　universe
itself。　The　affirmations　of　the　thesis；　on　the　contrary；　were　based；
in　addition　to　the　empirical　mode　of　explanation　employed　in　the
series　of　phenomena；　on　intellectual　propositions；　and　its
principles　were　in　so　far　not　simple。　I　shall　term　the　thesis；　in　view
of　its　essential　characteristic；　the　dogmatism　of　pure　reason。
　　On　the　side　of　Dogmatism；　or　of　the　thesis；　therefore；　in　the
determination　of　the　cosmological　ideas；　we　find：
　　1。　A　practical　interest；　which　must　be　very　dear　to　every
right…thinking　man。　That　the　word　has　a　beginning…　that　the　nature
of　my　thinking　self　is　simple；　and　therefore　indestructible…　that　I　am
a　free　agent；　and　raised　above　the　pulsion　of　nature　and　her
laws…　and；　finally；　that　the　entire　order　of　things；　which　form　the
world；　is　dependent　upon　a　Supreme　Being；　from　whom　the　whole　receives
unity　and　connection…　these　are　so　many　foundation…stones　of
morality　and　religion。　The　antithesis　deprives　us　of　all　these
supports…　or；　at　least；　seems　so　to　deprive　us。
　　2。　A　speculative　interest　of　reason　manifests　itself　on　this　side。
For；　if　we　take　the　transcendental　ideas　and　employ　them　in　the　manner
which　the　thesis　directs；　we　can　exhibit　pletely　a　priori　the
entire　chain　of　conditions；　and　understand　the　derivation　of　the
conditioned…　beginning　from　the　unconditioned。　This　the　antithesis
does　not　do；　and　for　this　reason　does　not　meet　with　so　wele　a
reception。　For　it　can　give　no　answer　to　our　question　respecting　the
conditions　of　its　synthesis…　except　such　as　must　be　supplemented　by
another　question；　and　so　on　to　infinity。　According　to　it；　we　must　rise
from　a　given　beginning　to　one　still　higher；　every　part　conducts　us
to　a　still　smaller　one；　every　event　is　preceded　by　another　event　which
is　its　cause；　and　the　conditions　of　existence　rest　always　upon　other
and　still　higher　conditions；　and　find　neither　end　nor　basis　in　some
self…subsistent　thing　as　the　primal　being。
　　3。　This　side　has　also　the　advantage　of　popularity；　and　this
constitutes　no　small　part　of　its　claim　to　favour。　The　mon
understanding　does　not　find　the　least　difficulty　in　the　idea　of　the
unconditioned　beginning　of　all　synthesis…　accustomed；　as　it　is；　rather
to　follow　our　consequences　than　to　seek　for　a　proper　basis　for
cognition。　In　the　conception　of　an　absolute　first；　moreover…　the
possibility　of　which　it　does　not　inquire　into…　it　is　highly
gratified　to　find　a　firmly…established　point　of　departure　for　its
attempts　at　theory；　while　in　the　restless　and　continuous　ascent　from
the　conditioned　to　the　condition；　always　with　one　foot　in　the　air；
it　can　find　no　satisfaction。
　　On　the　side　of　the　antithesis；　or　Empiricism；　in　the　determination
of　the　cosmological　ideas：
　　1。　We　cannot　discover　any　such　practical　interest　arising　from
pure　principles　of　reason　as　morality　and　religion　present。　On　the
contrary；　pure　empiricism　seems　to　empty　them　of　all　their　power　and
influence。　If　there　does　not　exist　a　Supreme　Being　distinct　from　the
world…　if　the　world　is　without　beginning；　consequently　without　a
Creator…　if　our　wills　are　not　free；　and　the　soul　is　divisible　and
subject　to　corruption　just　like　matter…　the　ideas　and　principles　of
morality　lose　all　validity　and　fall　with　the　transcendental　ideas
which　constituted　their　theoretical　support。
　　2。　But　empiricism；　in　pensation；　holds　out　to　reason；　in　its
speculative　interests；　certain　important　advantages；　far　exceeding　any
that　the　dogmatist　can　promise　us。　For；　when　employed　by　the
empiricist；　understanding　is　always　upon　its　proper　ground　of
investigation…　the　field　of　possible　experience；　the　laws　of　which
it　can　explore；　and　thus　extend　its　cognition　securely　and　with
clear　intelligence　without　being　stopped　by　limits　in　any　direction。
Here　can　it　and　ought　it　to　find　and　present　to　intuition　its　proper
object…　not　only　in　itself；　but　in　all　its　relations；　or；　if　it　employ
conceptions；　upon　this　ground　it　can　always　present　the
corresponding　images　in　clear　and　unmistakable　intuitions。　It　is　quite
unnecessary　for　it　to　renounce　the　guidance　of　nature；　to　attach
itself　to　ideas；　the　objects　of　which　it　cannot　know；　because；　as