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第112章

the critique of pure reason-第112章

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assume the existence of a self…subsistent reality out of the field

of experience; and are therefore obliged to regard phenomena as merely

a contingent mode of representing intelligible objects employed by

beings which are themselves intelligences… no other course remains for

us than to follow an alogy and employ the same mode in forming some

conception of intelligible things; of which we have not the least

knowledge; which nature taught us to use in the formation of empirical

conceptions。 Experience made us acquainted with the contingent。 But we

are at present engaged in the discussion of things which are not

objects of experience; and must; therefore; deduce our knowledge of

them from that which is necessary absolutely and in itself; that is;

from pure conceptions。 Hence the first step which we take out of the

world of sense obliges us to begin our system of new cognition with

the investigation of a necessary being; and to deduce from our

conceptions of it all our conceptions of intelligible things。 This

we propose to attempt in the following chapter。

           CHAPTER III。 The Ideal of Pure Reason。



            SECTION I。 Of the Ideal in General。



  We have seen that pure conceptions do not present objects to the

mind; except under sensuous conditions; because the conditions of

objective reality do not exist in these conceptions; which contain; in

fact; nothing but the mere form of thought。 They may; however; when

applied to phenomena; be presented in concreto; for it is phenomena

that present to them the materials for the formation of empirical

conceptions; which are nothing more than concrete forms of the

conceptions of the understanding。 But ideas are still further

removed from objective reality than categories; for no phenomenon

can ever present them to the human mind in concreto。 They contain a

certain perfection; attainable by no possible empirical cognition; and

they give to reason a systematic unity; to which the unity of

experience attempts to approximate; but can never completely attain。

  But still further removed than the idea from objective reality is

the Ideal; by which term I understand the idea; not in concreto; but

in individuo… as an individual thing; determinable or determined by

the idea alone。 The idea of humanity in its complete perfection

supposes not only the advancement of all the powers and faculties;

which constitute our conception of human nature; to a complete

attainment of their final aims; but also everything which is requisite

for the complete determination of the idea; for of all contradictory

predicates; only one can conform with the idea of the perfect man。

What I have termed an ideal was in Plato's philosophy an idea of the

divine mind… an individual object present to its pure intuition; the

most perfect of every kind of possible beings; and the archetype of

all phenomenal existences。

  Without rising to these speculative heights; we are bound to confess

that human reason contains not only ideas; but ideals; which

possess; not; like those of Plato; creative; but certainly practical

power… as regulative principles; and form the basis of the

perfectibility of certain actions。 Moral conceptions are not perfectly

pure conceptions of reason; because an empirical element… of

pleasure or pain… lies at the foundation of them。 In relation;

however; to the principle; whereby reason sets bounds to a freedom

which is in itself without law; and consequently when we attend merely

to their form; they may be considered as pure conceptions of reason。

Virtue and wisdom in their perfect purity are ideas。 But the wise

man of the Stoics is an ideal; that is to say; a human being

existing only in thought and in complete conformity with the idea of

wisdom。 As the idea provides a rule; so the ideal serves as an

archetype for the perfect and complete determination of the copy。 Thus

the conduct of this wise and divine man serves us as a standard of

action; with which we may compare and judge ourselves; which may

help us to reform ourselves; although the perfection it demands can

never be attained by us。 Although we cannot concede objective

reality to these ideals; they are not to be considered as chimeras; on

the contrary; they provide reason with a standard; which enables it to

estimate; by comparison; the degree of incompleteness in the objects

presented to it。 But to aim at realizing the ideal in an example in

the world of experience… to describe; for instance; the character of

the perfectly wise man in a romance… is impracticable。 Nay more; there

is something absurd in the attempt; and the result must be little

edifying; as the natural limitations; which are continually breaking

in upon the perfection and completeness of the idea; destroy the

illusion in the story and throw an air of suspicion even on what is

good in the idea; which hence appears fictitious and unreal。

  Such is the constitution of the ideal of reason; which is always

based upon determinate conceptions; and serves as a rule and a model

for limitation or of criticism。 Very different is the nature of the

ideals of the imagination。 Of these it is impossible to present an

intelligible conception; they are a kind of monogram; drawn

according to no determinate rule; and forming rather a vague

picture… the production of many diverse experiences… than a

determinate image。 Such are the ideals which painters and

physiognomists profess to have in their minds; and which can serve

neither as a model for production nor as a standard for

appreciation。 They may be termed; though improperly; sensuous

ideals; as they are declared to be models of certain possible

empirical intuitions。 They cannot; however; furnish rules or standards

for explanation or examination with

  In its ideals; reason aims at complete and perfect determination

according to a priori rules; and hence it cogitates an object; which

must be completely determinable in conformity with principles;

although all empirical conditions are absent; and the conception of

the object is on this account transcendent。



       SECTION II。 Of the Transcendental Ideal (Prototypon

                       Trancendentale)。



  Every conception is; in relation to that which is not contained in

it; undetermined and subject to the principle of determinability。 This

principle is that; of every two contradictorily opposed predicates;

only one can belong to a conception。 It is a purely logical principle;

itself based upon the principle of contradiction; inasmuch as it makes

complete abstraction of the content and attends merely to the

logical form of the cognition。

  But again; everything; as regards its possibility; is also subject

to the principle of complete determination; according to which one

of all the possible contradictory predicates of things must belong

to it。 This principle is not based merely upon that of

contradiction; for; in addition to the relation between two

contradictory predicates; it regards everything as standing in a

relation to the sum of possibilities; as the sum total of all

predicates of things; and; while presupposing this sum as an a

priori condition; presents to the mind everything as receiving the

possibility of its individual existence from the relation it bears to;

and the share it possesses in; the aforesaid sum of possibilities。*

The principle of complete determination relates the content and not to

the logical form。 It is the principle of the synthesis of all the

predicates which are required to constitute the complete conception of

a thing; and not a mere principle analytical representation; which

enounces that one of two contradictory predicates must belong to a

conception。 It contains; moreover; a transcendental presupposition…

that; namely; of the material for all possibility; which must

contain a priori the data for this or that particular possibility。



  *Thus this principle declares everything to possess a relati

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