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第83章

the critique of pure reason-第83章

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existence in this proposition is not a category; as it does not

apply to an undetermined given object; but only to one of which we

have a conception; and about which we wish to know whether it does

or does not exist; out of; and apart from this conception。 An

undetermined perception signifies here merely something real that

has been given; only; however; to thought in general… but not as a

phenomenon; nor as a thing in itself (noumenon); but only as something

that really exists; and is designated as such in the proposition; 〃I

think。〃 For it must be remarked that; when I call the proposition;

〃I think;〃 an empirical proposition; I do not thereby mean that the

Ego in the proposition is an empirical representation; on the

contrary; it is purely intellectual; because it belongs to thought

in general。 But without some empirical representation; which

presents to the mind material for thought; the mental act; 〃I

think;〃 would not take place; and the empirical is only the

condition of the application or employment of the pure intellectual

faculty。



  Thus; then; appears the vanity of the hope of establishing a

cognition which is to extend its rule beyond the limits of experience…

a cognition which is one of the highest interests of humanity; and

thus is proved the futility of the attempt of speculative philosophy

in this region of thought。 But; in this interest of thought; the

severity of criticism has rendered to reason a not unimportant

service; by the demonstration of the impossibility of making any

dogmatical affirmation concerning an object of experience beyond the

boundaries of experience。 She has thus fortified reason against all

affirmations of the contrary。 Now; this can be accomplished in only

two ways。 Either our proposition must be proved apodeictically; or; if

this is unsuccessful; the sources of this inability must be sought

for; and; if these are discovered to exist in the natural and

necessary limitation of our reason; our opponents must submit to the

same law of renunciation and refrain from advancing claims to dogmatic

assertion。

  But the right; say rather the necessity to admit a future life; upon

principles of the practical conjoined with the speculative use of

reason; has lost nothing by this renunciation; for the merely

speculative proof has never had any influence upon the common reason

of men。 It stands upon the point of a hair; so that even the schools

have been able to preserve it from falling only by incessantly

discussing it and spinning it like a top; and even in their eyes it

has never been able to present any safe foundation for the erection of

a theory。 The proofs which have been current among men; preserve their

value undiminished; nay; rather gain in clearness and

unsophisticated power; by the rejection of the dogmatical

assumptions of speculative reason。 For reason is thus confined

within her own peculiar province… the arrangement of ends or aims;

which is at the same time the arrangement of nature; and; as a

practical faculty; without limiting itself to the latter; it is

justified in extending the former; and with it our own existence;

beyond the boundaries of experience and life。 If we turn our attention

to the analogy of the nature of living beings in this world; in the

consideration of which reason is obliged to accept as a principle that

no organ; no faculty; no appetite is useless; and that nothing is

superfluous; nothing disproportionate to its use; nothing unsuited

to its end; but that; on the contrary; everything is perfectly

conformed to its destination in life… we shall find that man; who

alone is the final end and aim of this order; is still the only animal

that seems to be excepted from it。 For his natural gifts… not merely

as regards the talents and motives that may incite him to employ them;

but especially the moral law in him… stretch so far beyond all mere

earthly utility and advantage; that he feels himself bound to prize

the mere consciousness of probity; apart from all advantageous

consequences… even the shadowy gift of posthumous fame… above

everything; and he is conscious of an inward call to constitute

himself; by his conduct in this world… without regard to mere

sublunary interests… the citizen of a better。 This mighty;

irresistible proof… accompanied by an ever…increasing knowledge of the

conformability to a purpose in everything we see around us; by the

conviction of the boundless immensity of creation; by the

consciousness of a certain illimitableness in the possible extension

of our knowledge; and by a desire commensurate therewith… remains to

humanity; even after the theoretical cognition of ourselves bas failed

to establish the necessity of an existence after death。



              Conclusion of the Solution of the

                 Psychological Paralogism。



  The dialectical illusion in rational psychology arises from our

confounding an idea of reason (of a pure intelligence) with the

conception… in every respect undetermined… of a thinking being in

general。 I cogitate myself in behalf of a possible experience; at

the same time making abstraction of all actual experience; and infer

therefrom that I can be conscious of myself apart from experience

and its empirical conditions。 I consequently confound the possible

abstraction of my empirically determined existence with the supposed

consciousness of a possible separate existence of my thinking self;

and I believe that I cognize what is substantial in myself as a

transcendental subject; when I have nothing more in thought than the

unity of consciousness; which lies at the basis of all determination

of cognition。

  The task of explaining the community of the soul with the body

does not properly belong to the psychology of which we are here

speaking; because it proposes to prove the personality of the soul

apart from this communion (after death); and is therefore transcendent

in the proper sense of the word; although occupying itself with an

object of experience… only in so far; however; as it ceases to be an

object of experience。 But a sufficient answer may be found to the

question in our system。 The difficulty which lies in the execution

of this task consists; as is well known; in the presupposed

heterogeneity of the object of the internal sense (the soul) and the

objects of the external senses; inasmuch as the formal condition of

the intuition of the one is time; and of that of the other space also。

But if we consider that both kinds of objects do not differ

internally; but only in so far as the one appears externally to the

other… consequently; that what lies at the basis of phenomena; as a

thing in itself; may not be heterogeneous; this difficulty disappears。

There then remains no other difficulty than is to be found in the

question… how a community of substances is possible; a question

which lies out of the region of psychology; and which the reader;

after what in our analytic has been said of primitive forces and

faculties; will easily judge to be also beyond the region of human

cognition。



                      GENERAL REMARK



     On the Transition from Rational Psychology to Cosmology。



  The proposition; 〃I think;〃 or; 〃I exist thinking;〃 is an

empirical proposition。 But such a proposition must be based on

empirical intuition; and the object cogitated as a phenomenon; and

thus our theory appears to maintain that the soul; even in thought; is

merely a phenomenon; and in this way our consciousness itself; in

fact; abuts upon nothing。

  Thought; per se; is merely the purely spontaneous logical function

which operates to connect the manifold of a possible intuition; and it

does not represent the subject of consciousness as a phenomenon… for

this reason alone; that it pays no attention to the question whether

the mode of intuiting it is sensuous or intellectual。 I therefore do

not represent myself in thought either as I am; or as I appear to


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