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第46章

the critique of pure reason-第46章

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foundation; so a phenomenon taken as unity is a quantity; and as

such always a continuous quantity (quantum continuum)。

  Now; seeing all phenomena; whether considered as extensive or

intensive; are continuous quantities; the proposition: 〃All change

(transition of a thing from one state into another) is continuous;〃

might be proved here easily; and with mathematical evidence; were it

not that the causality of a change lies; entirely beyond the bounds of

a transcendental philosophy; and presupposes empirical principles。 For

of the possibility of a cause which changes the condition of things;

that is; which determines them to the contrary to a certain given

state; the understanding gives us a priori no knowledge; not merely

because it has no insight into the possibility of it (for such insight

is absent in several a priori cognitions); but because the notion of

change concerns only certain determinations of phenomena; which

experience alone can acquaint us with; while their cause lies in the

unchangeable。 But seeing that we have nothing which we could here

employ but the pure fundamental conceptions of all possible

experience; among which of course nothing empirical can be admitted;

we dare not; without injuring the unity of our system; anticipate

general physical science; which is built upon certain fundamental

experiences。

  Nevertheless; we are in no want of proofs of the great influence

which the principle above developed exercises in the anticipation of

perceptions; and even in supplying the want of them; so far as to

shield us against the false conclusions which otherwise we might

rashly draw。

  If all reality in perception has a degree; between which and

negation there is an endless sequence of ever smaller degrees; and if;

nevertheless; every sense must have a determinate degree of

receptivity for sensations; no perception; and consequently no

experience is possible; which can prove; either immediately or

mediately; an entire absence of all reality in a phenomenon; in

other words; it is impossible ever to draw from experience a proof

of the existence of empty space or of empty time。 For in the first

place; an entire absence of reality in a sensuous intuition cannot

of course be an object of perception; secondly; such absence cannot be

deduced from the contemplation of any single phenomenon; and the

difference of the degrees in its reality; nor ought it ever to be

admitted in explanation of any phenomenon。 For if even the complete

intuition of a determinate space or time is thoroughly real; that

is; if no part thereof is empty; yet because every reality has its

degree; which; with the extensive quantity of the phenomenon

unchanged; can diminish through endless gradations down to nothing

(the void); there must be infinitely graduated degrees; with which

space or time is filled; and the intensive quantity in different

phenomena may be smaller or greater; although the extensive quantity

of the intuition remains equal and unaltered。

  We shall give an example of this。 Almost all natural philosophers;

remarking a great difference in the quantity of the matter of

different kinds in bodies with the same volume (partly on account of

the momentum of gravity or weight; partly on account of the momentum

of resistance to other bodies in motion); conclude unanimously that

this volume (extensive quantity of the phenomenon) must be void in all

bodies; although in different proportion。 But who would suspect that

these for the most part mathematical and mechanical inquirers into

nature should ground this conclusion solely on a metaphysical

hypothesis… a sort of hypothesis which they profess to disparage and

avoid? Yet this they do; in assuming that the real in space (I must

not here call it impenetrability or weight; because these are

empirical conceptions) is always identical; and can only be

distinguished according to its extensive quantity; that is;

multiplicity。 Now to this presupposition; for which they can have no

ground in experience; and which consequently is merely metaphysical; I

oppose a transcendental demonstration; which it is true will not

explain the difference in the filling up of spaces; but which

nevertheless completely does away with the supposed necessity of the

above…mentioned presupposition that we cannot explain the said

difference otherwise than by the hypothesis of empty spaces。 This

demonstration; moreover; has the merit of setting the understanding at

liberty to conceive this distinction in a different manner; if the

explanation of the fact requires any such hypothesis。 For we

perceive that although two equal spaces may be completely filled by

matters altogether different; so that in neither of them is there left

a single point wherein matter is not present; nevertheless; every

reality has its degree (of resistance or of weight); which; without

diminution of the extensive quantity; can become less and less ad

infinitum; before it passes into nothingness and disappears。 Thus an

expansion which fills a space… for example; caloric; or any other

reality in the phenomenal world… can decrease in its degrees to

infinity; yet without leaving the smallest part of the space empty; on

the contrary; filling it with those lesser degrees as completely as

another phenomenon could with greater。 My intention here is by no

means to maintain that this is really the case with the difference

of matters; in regard to their specific gravity; I wish only to prove;

from a principle of the pure understanding; that the nature of our

perceptions makes such a mode of explanation possible; and that it

is erroneous to regard the real in a phenomenon as equal quoad its

degree; and different only quoad its aggregation and extensive

quantity; and this; too; on the pretended authority of an a priori

principle of the understanding。

  Nevertheless; this principle of the anticipation of perception

must somewhat startle an inquirer whom initiation into

transcendental philosophy has rendered cautious。 We must naturally

entertain some doubt whether or not the understanding can enounce

any such synthetical proposition as that respecting the degree of

all reality in phenomena; and consequently the possibility of the

internal difference of sensation itself… abstraction being made of its

empirical quality。 Thus it is a question not unworthy of solution:

〃How the understanding can pronounce synthetically and a priori

respecting phenomena; and thus anticipate these; even in that which is

peculiarly and merely empirical; that; namely; which concerns

sensation itself?〃

  The quality of sensation is in all cases merely empirical; and

cannot be represented a priori (for example; colours; taste; etc。)。

But the real… that which corresponds to sensation… in opposition to

negation = O; only represents something the conception of which in

itself contains a being (ein seyn); and signifies nothing but the

synthesis in an empirical consciousness。 That is to say; the empirical

consciousness in the internal sense can be raised from 0 to every

higher degree; so that the very same extensive quantity of

intuition; an illuminated surface; for example; excites as great a

sensation as an aggregate of many other surfaces less illuminated。

We can therefore make complete abstraction of the extensive quantity

of a phenomenon; and represent to ourselves in the mere sensation in a

certain momentum; a synthesis of homogeneous ascension from 0 up to

the given empirical consciousness; All sensations therefore as such

are given only a posteriori; but this property thereof; namely; that

they have a degree; can be known a priori。 It is worthy of remark;

that in respect to quantities in general; we can cognize a priori only

a single quality; namely; continuity; but in respect to all quality

(the real in phenomena); we cannot cognize a priori anything more than

the intensive quantity thereof; namely; that they have a degree。 All

else is 

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