the critique of pure reason-第55章

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　　Transcendental　analytic　showed　us　how　the　mere　logical　form　of　our

cognition　can　contain　the　origin　of　pure　conceptions　a　priori；

conceptions　which　represent　objects　antecedently　to　all　experience；　or

rather；　indicate　the　synthetical　unity　which　alone　renders　possible　an

empirical　cognition　of　objects。　The　form　of　judgements…　converted　into

a　conception　of　the　synthesis　of　intuitions…　produced　the　categories

which　direct　the　employment　of　the　understanding　in　experience。　This

consideration　warrants　us　to　expect　that　the　form　of　syllogisms；

when　applied　to　synthetical　unity　of　intuitions；　following　the　rule　of

the　categories；　will　contain　the　origin　of　particular　a　priori

conceptions；　which　we　may　call　pure　conceptions　of　reason　or

transcendental　ideas；　and　which　will　determine　the　use　of　the

understanding　in　the　totality　of　experience　according　to　principles。

　　The　function　of　reason　in　arguments　consists　in　the　universality

of　a　cognition　according　to　conceptions；　and　the　syllogism　itself　is　a

judgement　which　is　determined　a　priori　in　the　whole　extent　of　its

condition。　The　proposition：　〃Caius　is　mortal；〃　is　one　which　may　be

obtained　from　experience　by　the　aid　of　the　understanding　alone；　but　my

wish　is　to　find　a　conception　which　contains　the　condition　under

which　the　predicate　of　this　judgement　is　given…　in　this　case；　the

conception　of　man…　and　after　subsuming　under　this　condition；　taken

in　its　whole　extent　（all　men　are　mortal）；　I　determine　according　to

it　the　cognition　of　the　object　thought；　and　say：　〃Caius　is　mortal。〃

　　Hence；　in　the　conclusion　of　a　syllogism　we　restrict　a　predicate　to　a

certain　object；　after　having　thought　it　in　the　major　in　its　whole

extent　under　a　certain　condition。　This　complete　quantity　of　the　extent

in　relation　to　such　a　condition　is　called　universality

（universalitas）。　To　this　corresponds　totality　（universitas）　of

conditions　in　the　synthesis　of　intuitions。　The　transcendental

conception　of　reason　is　therefore　nothing　else　than　the　conception

of　the　totality　of　the　conditions　of　a　given　conditioned。　Now　as　the

unconditioned　alone　renders　possible　totality　of　conditions；　and；

conversely；　the　totality　of　conditions　is　itself　always　unconditioned；

a　pure　rational　conception　in　general　can　be　defined　and　explained

by　means　of　the　conception　of　the　unconditioned；　in　so　far　as　it

contains　a　basis　for　the　synthesis　of　the　conditioned。

　　To　the　number　of　modes　of　relation　which　the　understanding　cogitates

by　means　of　the　categories；　the　number　of　pure　rational　conceptions

will　correspond。　We　must　therefore　seek　for；　first；　an　unconditioned

of　the　categorical　synthesis　in　a　subject；　secondly；　of　the

hypothetical　synthesis　of　the　members　of　a　series；　thirdly；　of　the

disjunctive　synthesis　of　parts　in　a　system。

　　There　are　exactly　the　same　number　of　modes　of　syllogisms；　each　of

which　proceeds　through　prosyllogisms　to　the　unconditioned…　one　to

the　subject　which　cannot　be　employed　as　predicate；　another　to　the

presupposition　which　supposes　nothing　higher　than　itself；　and　the

third　to　an　aggregate　of　the　members　of　the　complete　division　of　a

conception。　Hence　the　pure　rational　conceptions　of　totality　in　the

synthesis　of　conditions　have　a　necessary　foundation　in　the　nature　of

human　reason…　at　least　as　modes　of　elevating　the　unity　of　the

understanding　to　the　unconditioned。　They　may　have　no　valid

application；　corresponding　to　their　transcendental　employment；　in

concreto；　and　be　thus　of　no　greater　utility　than　to　direct　the

understanding　how；　while　extending　them　as　widely　as　possible；　to

maintain　its　exercise　and　application　in　perfect　consistence　and

harmony。

　　But；　while　speaking　here　of　the　totality　of　conditions　and　of　the

unconditioned　as　the　common　title　of　all　conceptions　of　reason；　we

again　light　upon　an　expression　which　we　find　it　impossible　to　dispense

with；　and　which　nevertheless；　owing　to　the　ambiguity　attaching　to　it

from　long　abuse；　we　cannot　employ　with　safety。　The　word　absolute　is

one　of　the　few　words　which；　in　its　original　signification；　was

perfectly　adequate　to　the　conception　it　was　intended　to　convey…　a

conception　which　no　other　word　in　the　same　language　exactly　suits；　and

the　loss…　or；　which　is　the　same　thing；　the　incautious　and　loose

employment…　of　which　must　be　followed　by　the　loss　of　the　conception

itself。　And；　as　it　is　a　conception　which　occupies　much　of　the

attention　of　reason；　its　loss　would　be　greatly　to　the　detriment　of　all

transcendental　philosophy。　The　word　absolute　is　at　present

frequently　used　to　denote　that　something　can　be　predicated　of　a

thing　considered　in　itself　and　intrinsically。　In　this　sense　absolutely

possible　would　signify　that　which　is　possible　in　itself　（interne）…

which　is；　in　fact；　the　least　that　one　can　predicate　of　an　object。　On

the　other　hand；　it　is　sometimes　employed　to　indicate　that　a　thing　is

valid　in　all　respects…　for　example；　absolute　sovereignty。　Absolutely

possible　would　in　this　sense　signify　that　which　is　possible　in　all

relations　and　in　every　respect；　and　this　is　the　most　that　can　be

predicated　of　the　possibility　of　a　thing。　Now　these　significations

do　in　truth　frequently　coincide。　Thus；　for　example；　that　which　is

intrinsically　impossible；　is　also　impossible　in　all　relations；　that

is；　absolutely　impossible。　But　in　most　cases　they　differ　from　each

other　toto　caelo；　and　I　can　by　no　means　conclude　that；　because　a　thing

is　in　itself　possible；　it　is　also　possible　in　all　relations；　and

therefore　absolutely。　Nay；　more；　I　shall　in　the　sequel　show　that

absolute　necessity　does　not　by　any　means　depend　on　internal　necessity；

and　that；　therefore；　it　must　not　be　considered　as　synonymous　with

it。　Of　an　opposite　which　is　intrinsically　impossible；　we　may　affirm

that　it　is　in　all　respects　impossible；　and　that；　consequently；　the

thing　itself；　of　which　this　is　the　opposite；　is　absolutely

necessary；　but　I　cannot　reason　conversely　and　say；　the　opposite　of

that　which　is　absolutely　necessary　is　intrinsically　impossible；　that

is；　that　the　absolute　necessity　of　things　is　an　internal　necessity。

For　this　internal　necessity　is　in　certain　cases　a　mere　empty　word　with

which　the　least　conception　cannot　be　connected；　while　the　conception

of　the　necessity　of　a　thing　in　all　relations　possesses　very　peculiar

determinations。　Now　as　the　loss　of　a　conception　of　great　utility　in

speculative　science　cannot　be　a　matter　of　indifference　to　the

philosopher；　I　trust　that　the　proper　determination　and　careful

preservation　of　the　expression　on　which　the　conception　depends　will

likewise　be　not　indifferent　to　him。

　　In　this　enlarged　signification；　then；　shall　I　employ　the　word

absolute；　in　opposition　to　that　which　is　valid　only　in　some　particular

respect；　for　the　latter　is　restricted　by　conditions；　the　former　is

valid　without　any　restriction　whatever。

　　Now　the　transcendental　conception　of　reason　has　for　its　object

nothing　else　than　absolute　totality　in　the　synthesis　of　conditions　and

does　not　rest　satisfied　till　it　has　attained　to　the　absolutely；　that

is；　in　all　respects　and　relations；　unconditioned。　For　pure　reason

leaves　to　the　understanding　everything　that　immediately　relates　to　the

object　of　intuition　or　rather　to　their　synthesis　in　imagination。　The

former　restricts　itself　to　the　absolute　totality　in　the　employment

of　the　conceptions　of　the　understanding　and　aims　at　carrying　out　the

synthetical　unity　which　is　cogitated　in　the　category；　even　to　the

unconditioned。　This　unity　may　hence　be　called　the　rational　unity　of

phenomena；　as　the　other；　which　the　category　expresses；　may　be　termed

the　unity　of　the　understanding。　Reason；　therefore；　has　an　immediate

relation　to　the　use　of　the　understanding；　not　indeed　in　so　far　as

the　latter　contains　the　ground　of　possible　experience　（for　the

conception　of　the　absolute　totality　of　conditions　is　not　a

conception　that　can　be　employed　in　experience；　because　no　experience

is　unconditioned）；　but　solely　for　the　purpose　of　directing　it　to　a

certain　unity；　of　which　the　understanding　has　no　conception；　and　the

aim　of　which　is　to　collect　into　an　absolute　whole　all　acts　of　the

understanding。　Hence　the　objective　employment　of　the　pure

conceptions　of　reason　is　always　transcendent；　while　that　of　the　pure

conceptions　of　the　understanding　must；　according　to　their　nature；　be

always　immanent；　inasmuch　as　they　are　limited　to　possible　experience。

　　I　understand　by　idea　a　necessary　conception　of　reason；　to　which　no

corresponding　object　can　be　discovered　in　the　world　of　sense。

Accordingly；　the　pure　conceptions　of　reason　at　present　under

consideration　are　transcendental　ideas。　They　are　conceptions　of　pure

reason；　for　they　regard　all　empirical　cognition　as　determined　by　means

of　an　absolute　totality　of　conditions。　They　are　not　mere　fictions；　but

natural　and　necessary　products　of　reason；　and　have　hence　a　necessary

relation　to　the　whole　sphere　of　the　exercise　of　the　understanding。

And；　finally；　they　are　transcendent；　and　overstep　the　limits　of　all

experiences；　in　which；　consequently；　no　object　can　ever　be　presented

that　would　be　perfectly　adequate　to　a　transcendental　idea。　When　we　use

the　word　idea；　we　say；　as　regards　its　object　（an　object　of　the　pure

understanding）；　a　great　deal；　but　as　regards　its　subject　（that　is；

in　respect　of　its　reality　under　conditions　of　experience）；　exceedingly

little；　because　the　idea；　as　the　conception　of　a　maximum；　can　never　be

completely　and　adequately　presented　in　concreto。　Now；　as　in　the　merely

speculative　employment　of　reason　the　latter　is　properly　the　sole

aim；　and　as　in　this　case　the　approximation　to　a　conception；　which　is

never　attained　in　practice；　is　the　same　thing　as　if　the　conception

were　non…existent…　it　is　commonly　said　of　the　conception　of　this　kind；

〃it　is　only　an　idea。〃　So　we　might　very　well　say；　〃the　absolute

totality　of　all　phenomena　is　only　an　idea；〃　for；　as　we　never　can

present　an　adequate　representation　of　it；　it　remains　for　us　a

problem　incapable　of　solution。　On　the　other　hand；　as　in　the

practical　use　of　the　understanding　we　have　only　to　do　with　action

and　practice　according　to　rules；　an　idea　of　pure　reason　can　always

be　given　really　in　concreto；　although　only　partially；　nay；　it　is　the

indispensable　condition　of　all　practical　employment　of　reason。　The

practice　or　execution　of　the　idea　is　always　limited　and　defective；　but

nevertheless　within　indeterminable　boundaries；　consequently　always

under　the　influence　of　the　conception　of　an　absolute　perfection。　And

thus　the　practical　idea　is　always　in　the　highest　degree　fruitful；

and　in　relation　to　real　actions　indispensably　necessary。　In　the

idea；　pure　reason　possesses　even　causality　and　the　power　of

producing　that　which　its　conception　contains。　Hence　we　cannot　say　of

wisdom；　in　a　disparaging　way；　〃it　is　only　an　idea。〃　For；　for　the

very　reason　that　it　is　the　idea　of　the　necessary　unity　of　all　possible

aims；　it　must　be　for　all　practical　exerti