the critique of practical reason-第16章

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degree　of　uprightness；　and　yet　the　respect　remains。　For　since　in　man　all　good　is　defective；　the　law　made　visible　by　an　example　still　humbles　my　pride；　my　standard　being　furnished　by　a　man　whose　imperfections；　whatever　they　may　be；　are　not　known　to　me　as　my　own　are；　and　who　therefore　appears　to　me　in　a　more　favourable　light。　Respect　is　a　tribute　which　we　cannot　refuse　to　merit；　whether　we　will　or　not；　we　may　indeed　outwardly　withhold　it；　but　we　cannot　help　feeling　it　inwardly。　　　Respect　is　so　far　from　being　a　feeling　of　pleasure　that　we　only　reluctantly　give　way　to　it　as　regards　a　man。　We　try　to　find　out　something　that　may　lighten　the　burden　of　it；　some　fault　to　compensate　us　for　the　humiliation　which　such　which　such　an　example　causes。　Even　the　dead　are　not　always　secure　from　this　criticism；　especially　if　their　example　appears　inimitable。　Even　the　moral　law　itself　in　its　solemn　majesty　is　exposed　to　this　endeavour　to　save　oneself　from　yielding　it　respect。　Can　it　be　thought　that　it　is　for　any　other　reason　that　we　are　so　ready　to　reduce　it　to　the　level　of　our　familiar　inclination；　or　that　it　is　for　any　other　reason　that　we　all　take　such　trouble　to　make　it　out　to　be　the　chosen　precept　of　our　own　interest　well　understood；　but　that　we　want　to　be　free　from　the　deterrent　respect　which　shows　us　our　own　unworthiness　with　such　severity？　Nevertheless；　on　the　other　hand；　so　little　is　there　pain　in　it　that　if　once　one　has　laid　aside　self…conceit　and　allowed　practical　influence　to　that　respect；　he　can　never　be　satisfied　with　contemplating　the　majesty　of　this　law；　and　the　soul　believes　itself　elevated　in　proportion　as　it　sees　the　holy　law　elevated　above　it　and　its　frail　nature。　No　doubt　great　talents　and　activity　proportioned　to　them　may　also　occasion　respect　or　an　analogous　feeling。　It　is　very　proper　to　yield　it　to　them；　and　then　it　appears　as　if　this　sentiment　were　the　same　thing　as　admiration。　But　if　we　look　closer　we　shall　observe　that　it　is　always　uncertain　how　much　of　the　ability　is　due　to　native　talent；　and　how　much　to　diligence　in　cultivating　it。　Reason　represents　it　to　us　as　probably　the　fruit　of　cultivation；　and　therefore　as　meritorious；　and　this　notably　reduces　our　self…conceit；　and　either　casts　a　reproach　on　us　or　urges　us　to　follow　such　an　example　in　the　way　that　is　suitable　to　us。　This　respect；　then；　which　we　show　to　such　a　person　（properly　speaking；　to　the　law　that　his　example　exhibits）　is　not　mere　admiration；　and　this　is　confirmed　also　by　the　fact　that　when　the　common　run　of　admirers　think　they　have　learned　from　any　source　the　badness　of　such　a　man's　character　（for　instance　Voltaire's）　they　give　up　all　respect　for　him；　whereas　the　true　scholar　still　feels　it　at　least　with　regard　to　his　talents；　because　he　is　himself　engaged　in　a　business　and　a　vocation　which　make　imitation　of　such　a　man　in　some　degree　a　law。　　　Respect　for　the　moral　law　is；　therefore；　the　only　and　the　undoubted　moral　motive；　and　this　feeling　is　directed　to　no　object；　except　on　the　ground　of　this　law。　The　moral　law　first　determines　the　will　objectively　and　directly　in　the　judgement　of　reason；　and　freedom；　whose　causality　can　be　determined　only　by　the　law；　consists　just　in　this；　that　it　restricts　all　inclinations；　and　consequently　self…esteem；　by　the　condition　of　obedience　to　its　pure　law。　This　restriction　now　has　an　effect　on　feeling；　and　produces　the　impression　of　displeasure　which　can　be　known　a　priori　from　the　moral　law。　Since　it　is　so　far　only　a　negative　effect　which；　arising　from　the　influence　of　pure　practical　reason；　checks　the　activity　of　the　subject；　so　far　as　it　is　determined　by　inclinations；　and　hence　checks　the　opinion　of　his　personal　worth　（which；　in　the　absence　of　agreement　with　the　moral　law；　is　reduced　to　nothing）；　hence；　the　effect　of　this　law　on　feeling　is　merely　humiliation。　We　can；　therefore；　perceive　this　a　priori；　but　cannot　know　by　it　the　force　of　the　pure　practical　law　as　a　motive；　but　only　the　resistance　to　motives　of　the　sensibility。　But　since　the　same　law　is　objectively；　that　is；　in　the　conception　of　pure　reason；　an　immediate　principle　of　determination　of　the　will；　and　consequently　this　humiliation　takes　place　only　relatively　to　the　purity　of　the　law；　hence；　the　lowering　of　the　pretensions　of　moral　self…esteem；　that　is；　humiliation　on　the　sensible　side；　is　an　elevation　of　the　moral；　i。e。；　practical；　esteem　for　the　law　itself　on　the　intellectual　side；　in　a　word；　it　is　respect　for　the　law；　and　therefore；　as　its　cause　is　intellectual；　a　positive　feeling　which　can　be　known　a　priori。　For　whatever　diminishes　the　obstacles　to　an　activity　furthers　this　activity　itself。　Now　the　recognition　of　the　moral　law　is　the　consciousness　of　an　activity　of　practical　reason　from　objective　principles；　which　only　fails　to　reveal　its　effect　in　actions　because　subjective　（pathological）　causes　hinder　it。　Respect　for　the　moral　law　then　must　be　regarded　as　a　positive；　though　indirect；　effect　of　it　on　feeling；　inasmuch　as　this　respect　weakens　the　impeding　influence　of　inclinations　by　humiliating　selfesteem；　and　hence　also　as　a　subjective　principle　of　activity；　that　is；　as　a　motive　to　obedience　to　the　law；　and　as　a　principle　of　the　maxims　of　a　life　conformable　to　it。　From　the　notion　of　a　motive　arises　that　of　an　interest；　which　can　never　be　attributed　to　any　being　unless　it　possesses　reason；　and　which　signifies　a　motive　of　the　will　in　so　far　as　it　is　conceived　by　the　reason。　Since　in　a　morally　good　will　the　law　itself　must　be　the　motive；　the　moral　interest　is　a　pure　interest　of　practical　reason　alone；　independent　of　sense。　On　the　notion　of　an　interest　is　based　that　of　a　maxim。　This；　therefore；　is　morally　good　only　in　case　it　rests　simply　on　the　interest　taken　in　obedience　to　the　law。　All　three　notions；　however；　that　of　a　motive；　of　an　interest；　and　of　a　maxim；　can　be　applied　only　to　finite　beings。　For　they　all　suppose　a　limitation　of　the　nature　of　the　being；　in　that　the　subjective　character　of　his　choice　does　not　of　itself　agree　with　the　objective　law　of　a　practical　reason；　they　suppose　that　the　being　requires　to　be　impelled　to　action　by　something；　because　an　internal　obstacle　opposes　itself。　Therefore　they　cannot　be　applied　to　the　Divine　will。　　　There　is　something　so　singular　in　the　unbounded　esteem　for　the　pure　moral　law；　apart　from　all　advantage；　as　it　is　presented　for　our　obedience　by　practical　reason；　the　voice　of　which　makes　even　the　boldest　sinner　tremble　and　compels　him　to　hide　himself　from　it；　that　we　cannot　wonder　if　we　find　this　influence　of　a　mere　intellectual　idea　on　the　feelings　quite　incomprehensible　to　speculative　reason　and　have　to　be　satisfied　with　seeing　so　much　of　this　a　priori　that　such　a　feeling　is　inseparably　connected　with　the　conception　of　the　moral　law　in　every　finite　rational　being。　If　this　feeling　of　respect　were　pathological；　and　therefore　were　a　feeling　of　pleasure　based　on　the　inner　sense；　it　would　be　in　vain　to　try　to　discover　a　connection　of　it　with　any　idea　a　priori。　But　＇it＇　is　a　feeling　that　applies　merely　to　what　is　practical；　and　depends　on　the　conception　of　a　law；　simply　as　to　its　form；　not　on　account　of　any　object；　and　therefore　cannot　be　reckoned　either　as　pleasure　or　pain；　and　yet　produces　an　interest　in　obedience　to　the　law；　which　we　call　the　moral　interest；　just　as　the　capacity　of　taking　such　an　interest　in　the　law　（or　respect　for　the　moral　law　itself）　is　properly　the　moral　feeling。　　　The　consciousness　of　a　free　submission　of　the　will　to　the　law；　yet　combined　with　an　inevitable　constraint　put　upon　all　inclinations；　though　only　by　our　own　reason；　is　respect　for　the　law。　The　law　that　demands　this　respect　and　inspires　it　is　clearly　no　other　than　the　moral　（for　no　other　precludes　all　inclinations　from　exercising　any　direct　influence　on　the　will）。　An　action　which　is　objectively　practical　according　to　this　law；　to　the　exclusion　of　every　determining　principle　of　inclination；　is　duty；　and　this　by　reason　of　that　exclusion　includes　in　its　concept　practical　obligation；　that　is；　a　determination　to　actions；　however　reluctantly　they　may　be　done。　The　feeling　that　arises　from　the　consciousness　of　this　obligation　is　not　pathological；　as　would　be　a　feeling　produced　by　an　object　of　the　senses；　but　practical　only；　that　is；　it　is　made　possible　by　a　preceding　（objective）　determination　of　the　will　and　a　causality　of　the　reason。　As　submission　to　the　law；　therefore；　that　is；　as　a　command　（announcing　constraint　for　the　sensibly　affected　subject）；　it　contains　in　it　no　pleasure；　but　on　the　contrary；　so　far；　pain　in　the　action。　On　the　other　hand；　however；　as　this　constraint　is　exercised　merely　by　the　legislation　of　our　own　reason；　it　also　contains　something　elevating；　and　this　subjective　effect　on　feeling；　inasmuch　as　pure　practical　reason　is　the　sole　cause　of　it；　may　be　called　in　this　respect　self…approbation；　since　we　recognize　ourselves　as　determined　thereto　solely　by　the　law　without　any　interest；　and　are　now　conscious　of　a　quite　different　interest　subjectively　produced　thereby；　and　which　is　purely　practical　and　free；　and　our　taking　this　interest　in　an　action　of　duty　is　not　suggested　by　any　inclination；　but　is　commanded　and　actually　brought　about　by　reason　through　the　practical　law；　whence　this　feeling　obtains　a　special　name；　that　of　respect。　　　The　notion　of　duty；　therefore；　requires　in　the　action；　objectively；　agreement　with　the　law；　and；　subjectively　in　its　maxim；　that　respect　for　the　law　shall　be　the　sole　mode　in　which　the　will　is　determined　thereby。　And　on　this　rests　the　distinction　between　the　consciousness　of　having　acted　according　to　duty　and　from　duty；　that　is；　from　respect　for　the　law。　The　former　（legality）　is　possible　even　if　inclinations　have　been　the　determining　principles　of　the　will；　but　the　latter　（morality）；　moral　worth；　can　be　placed　only　in　this；　that　the　action　is　done　from　duty；　that　is；　simply　for　the　sake　of　the　law。*

　　*If　we　examine　accurately　the　notion　of　respect　for　persons　as　it　has　been　already　laid　down；　we　shall　perceive　that　it　always　rests　on　the　consciousness　of　a　duty　which　an　example　shows　us；　and　that　respect；　therefore。　can　never　have　any　but　a　moral　ground；　and　that　it　is　very　good　and　even；　in　a　psychological　point　of　view；　very　useful　for　the　knowledge　of　mankind；　that　whenever　we　use　this　expression　we　should　attend　to　this　secret　and　marvellous；　yet　often　recurring；　regard　which　men　in　their　judgement　pay　to　the　moral　law。

　　It　is　of　the　greatest　importance　to　attend　with　the　utmost　exactness　in　all　moral　judgements　to　the　subjective　principle　of　all　maxims；　that　all　the　morality　of　actions　may　be　placed　in　the　necessity　of　acting　from　duty　and　from　respect　for　the　law；　not　from　love　and　inclination　for　that　which　the　actions　are　to　produce。　For　men　and　all　created　rational　beings　moral　necessity　is　constraint；　that　is　obligation；　and　every　action　based　on　it　is　to　be　conceived　as　a　duty；　not　as　a　proceeding　previously　pleasing；　or　likely　to　be　Pleasing　to　us　of　our　own　accord。　As　if　indeed　we　could　ever　bring　it　about　that　without　respect　for　the　law；　which　implies　fear；　or　at　least　apprehension　of　transgression；　we　of　ourselves；　like　the　independent　Deity；　could　ever　come　into　possession　of　holiness　of　will　by　the　coincidence　of　our　will　with　the　pure　moral　law　becoming　as　it　were　part　of　our　nature；　never　to　be　shake