the critique of pure reason-第63章

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select　only　such　as　necessarily　furnish　us　with　a　series　in　the

synthesis　of　the　manifold。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1

　　　　　　　　　　　　The　absolute　Completeness

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COMPOSITION

　　　　　of　the　given　totality　of　all　phenomena。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2

　　　　　　　　　　　　The　absolute　Completeness

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DIVISION

　　　　　of　given　totality　in　a　phenomenon。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　3

　　　　　　　　　　　　The　absolute　Completeness

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ORIGINATION

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　a　phenomenon。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　4

　　　　　　　　　　　　The　absolute　Completeness

　　　　　　　　　of　the　DEPENDENCE　of　the　EXISTENCE

　　　　　　　　of　what　is　changeable　in　a　phenomenon。



　　We　must　here　remark；　in　the　first　place；　that　the　idea　of　absolute

totality　relates　to　nothing　but　the　exposition　of　phenomena；　and

therefore　not　to　the　pure　conception　of　a　totality　of　things。

Phenomena　are　here；　therefore；　regarded　as　given；　and　reason

requires　the　absolute　completeness　of　the　conditions　of　their

possibility；　in　so　far　as　these　conditions　constitute　a　series…

consequently　an　absolutely　（that　is；　in　every　respect）　complete

synthesis；　whereby　a　phenomenon　can　be　explained　according　to　the　laws

of　the　understanding。

　　Secondly；　it　is　properly　the　unconditioned　alone　that　reason　seeks

in　this　serially　and　regressively　conducted　synthesis　of　conditions。

It　wishes；　to　speak　in　another　way；　to　attain　to　completeness　in　the

series　of　premisses；　so　as　to　render　it　unnecessary　to　presuppose

others。　This　unconditioned　is　always　contained　in　the　absolute

totality　of　the　series；　when　we　endeavour　to　form　a　representation

of　it　in　thought。　But　this　absolutely　complete　synthesis　is　itself　but

an　idea；　for　it　is　impossible；　at　least　before　hand；　to　know　whether

any　such　synthesis　is　possible　in　the　case　of　phenomena。　When　we

represent　all　existence　in　thought　by　means　of　pure　conceptions　of　the

understanding；　without　any　conditions　of　sensuous　intuition；　we　may

say　with　justice　that　for　a　given　conditioned　the　whole　series　of

conditions　subordinated　to　each　other　is　also　given；　for　the　former　is

only　given　through　the　latter。　But　we　find　in　the　case　of　phenomena

a　particular　limitation　of　the　mode　in　which　conditions　are　given；

that　is；　through　the　successive　synthesis　of　the　manifold　of

intuition；　which　must　be　complete　in　the　regress。　Now　whether　this

completeness　is　sensuously　possible；　is　a　problem。　But　the　idea　of

it　lies　in　the　reason…　be　it　possible　or　impossible　to　connect　with

the　idea　adequate　empirical　conceptions。　Therefore；　as　in　the　absolute

totality　of　the　regressive　synthesis　of　the　manifold　in　a　phenomenon

（following　the　guidance　of　the　categories；　which　represent　it　as　a

series　of　conditions　to　a　given　conditioned）　the　unconditioned　is

necessarily　contained…　it　being　still　left　unascertained　whether　and

how　this　totality　exists；　reason　sets　out　from　the　idea　of　totality；

although　its　proper　and　final　aim　is　the　unconditioned…　of　the　whole

series；　or　of　a　part　thereof。

　　This　unconditioned　may　be　cogitated…　either　as　existing　only　in

the　entire　series；　all　the　members　of　which　therefore　would　be　without

exception　conditioned　and　only　the　totality　absolutely

unconditioned…　and　in　this　case　the　regressus　is　called　infinite；　or

the　absolutely　unconditioned　is　only　a　part　of　the　series；　to　which

the　other　members　are　subordinated；　but　which　Is　not　itself

submitted　to　any　other　condition。*　In　the　former　case　the　series　is

a　parte　priori　unlimited　（without　beginning）；　that　is；　infinite；　and

nevertheless　completely　given。　But　the　regress　in　it　is　never

completed；　and　can　only　be　called　potentially　infinite。　In　the

second　case　there　exists　a　first　in　the　series。　This　first　is

called；　in　relation　to　past　time；　the　beginning　of　the　world；　in

relation　to　space；　the　limit　of　the　world；　in　relation　to　the　parts　of

a　given　limited　whole；　the　simple；　in　relation　to　causes；　absolute

spontaneity　（liberty）；　and　in　relation　to　the　existence　of

changeable　things；　absolute　physical　necessity。



　　*The　absolute　totality　of　the　series　of　conditions　to　a　given

conditioned　is　always　unconditioned；　because　beyond　it　there　exist

no　other　conditions；　on　which　it　might　depend。　But　the　absolute

totality　of　such　a　series　is　only　an　idea；　or　rather　a　problematical

conception；　the　possibility　of　which　must　be　investigated…

particularly　in　relation　to　the　mode　in　which　the　unconditioned；　as

the　transcendental　idea　which　is　the　real　subject　of　inquiry；　may　be

contained　therein。



　　We　possess　two　expressions；　world　and　nature；　which　are　generally

interchanged。　The　first　denotes　the　mathematical　total　of　all

phenomena　and　the　totality　of　their　synthesis…　in　its　progress　by

means　of　composition；　as　well　as　by　division。　And　the　world　is

termed　nature；*　when　it　is　regarded　as　a　dynamical　whole…　when　our

attention　is　not　directed　to　the　aggregation　in　space　and　time；　for

the　purpose　of　cogitating　it　as　a　quantity；　but　to　the　unity　in　the

existence　of　phenomena。　In　this　case　the　condition　of　that　which

happens　is　called　a　cause；　the　unconditioned　causality　of　the　cause　in

a　phenomenon　is　termed　liberty；　the　conditioned　cause　is　called　in　a

more　limited　sense　a　natural　cause。　The　conditioned　in　existence　is

termed　contingent；　and　the　unconditioned　necessary。　The

unconditioned　necessity　of　phenomena　may　be　called　natural　necessity。



　　*Nature；　understood　adjective　（formaliter）；　signifies　the　complex　of

the　determinations　of　a　thing；　connected　according　to　an　internal

principle　of　causality。　On　the　other　hand；　we　understand　by　nature；

substantive　（materialiter）；　the　sum　total　of　phenomena；　in　so　far　as

they；　by　virtue　of　an　internal　principle　of　causality；　are　connected

with　each　other　throughout。　In　the　former　sense　we　speak　of　the　nature

of　liquid　matter；　of　fire；　etc。；　and　employ　the　word　only　adjective；

while；　if　speaking　of　the　objects　of　nature；　we　have　in　our　minds

the　idea　of　a　subsisting　whole。



　　The　ideas　which　we　are　at　present　engaged　in　discussing　I　have

called　cosmological　ideas；　partly　because　by　the　term　world　is

understood　the　entire　content　of　all　phenomena；　and　our　ideas　are

directed　solely　to　the　unconditioned　among　phenomena；　partly　also；

because　world；　in　the　transcendental　sense；　signifies　the　absolute

totality　of　the　content　of　existing　things；　and　we　are　directing　our

attention　only　to　the　completeness　of　the　synthesis…　although；

properly；　only　in　regression。　In　regard　to　the　fact　that　these　ideas

are　all　transcendent。　and；　although　they　do　not　transcend　phenomena　as

regards　their　mode；　but　are　concerned　solely　with　the　world　of　sense

（and　not　with　noumena）；　nevertheless　carry　their　synthesis　to　a　degree

far　above　all　possible　experience…　it　still　seems　to　me　that　we　can；

with　perfect　propriety；　designate　them　cosmical　conceptions。　As

regards　the　distinction　between　the　mathematically　and　the　dynamically

unconditioned　which　is　the　aim　of　the　regression　of　the　synthesis；　I

should　call　the　two　former；　in　a　more　limited　signification；

cosmical　conceptions；　the　remaining　two　transcendent　physical

conceptions。　This　distinction　does　not　at　present　seem　to　be　of

particular　importance；　but　we　shall　afterwards　find　it　to　be　of　some

value。





　　　　　　　　　　　SECTION　II。　Antithetic　of　Pure　Reason。



　　Thetic　is　the　term　applied　to　every　collection　of　dogmatical

propositions。　By　antithetic　I　do　not　understand　dogmatical

assertions　of　the　opposite；　but　the　self…contradiction　of　seemingly

dogmatical　cognitions　（thesis　cum　antithesis；　in　none　of　which　we

can　discover　any　decided　superiority。　Antithetic　is　not；　therefore；

occupied　with　one…sided　statements；　but　is　engaged　in　considering

the　contradictory　nature　of　the　general　cognitions　of　reason　and　its

causes。　Transcendental　antithetic　is　an　investigation　into　the

antinomy　of　pure　reason；　its　causes　and　result。　If　we　employ　our

reason　not　merely　in　the　application　of　the　principles　of　the

understanding　to　objects　of　experience；　but　venture　with　it　beyond

these　boundaries；　there　arise　certain　sophistical　propositions　or

theorems。　These　assertions　have　the　following　peculiarities：　They

can　find　neither　confirmation　nor　confutation　in　experience；　and

each　is　in　itself　not　only　self…consistent；　but　possesses　conditions

of　its　necessity　in　the　very　nature　of　reason…　only　that；　unluckily；

there　exist　just　as　valid　and　necessary　grounds　for　maintaining　the

contrary　proposition。

　　The　questions　which　naturally　arise　in　the　consideration　of　this

dialectic　of　pure　reason；　are　therefore：　1st。　In　what　propositions

is　pure　reason　unavoidably　subject　to　an　antinomy？　2nd。　What　are　the

causes　of　this　antinomy？　3rd。　Whether　and　in　what　way　can　reason

free　itself　from　this　self…contradiction？

　　A　dialectical　proposition　or　theorem　of　pure　reason　must；

according　to　what　has　been　said；　be　distinguishable　from　all

sophistical　propositions；　by　the　fact　that　it　is　not　an　answer　to　an

arbitrary　question；　which　may　be　raised　at　the　mere　pleasure　of　any

person；　but　to　one　which　human　reason　must　necessarily　encounter　in

its　progress。　In　the　second　place；　a　dialectical　proposition；　with　its

opposite；　does　not　carry　the　appearance　of　a　merely　artificial

illusion；　which　disappears　as　soon　as　it　is　investigated；　but　a

natural　and　unavoidable　illusion；　which；　even　when　we　are　no　longer

deceived　by　it；　continues　to　mock　us　and；　although　rendered

harmless；　can　never　be　completely　removed。

　　This　dialectical　doctrine　will　not　relate　to　the　unity　of

understanding　in　empirical　conceptions；　but　to　the　unity　of　reason

in　pure　ideas。　The　conditions　of　this　doctrine　are…　inasmuch　as　it

must；　as　a　synthesis　according　to　rules；　be　conformable　to　the

understanding；　and　at　the　same　time　as　the　absolute　unity　of　the

synthesis；　to　the　reason…　that；　if　it　is　adequate　to　the　unity　of

reason；　it　is　too　great　for　the　understanding；　if　according　with　the

understanding；　it　is　too　small　for　the　reason。　Hence　arises　a　mutual

opposition；　which　cannot　be　avoided；　do　what　we　will。

　　These　sophistical　assertions　of　dialectic　open；　as　it　were；　a

battle…field；　where　that　side　obtains　the　victory　which　has　been

permitted　to　make　the　attack；　and　he　is　compelled　to　yield　who　has

been　unfortunately　obliged　to　stand　on　the　defensive。　And　hence；

champions　of　ability；　whether　on　the　right　or　on　the　wrong　side；　are

certain　to　carry　away　the　crown　of　victory；　if　they　only　take　care

to　have　the　right　to　make　the　last　attack；　and　are　not　obliged　to

sustain　another　onset　from　their　opponent。　We　can　easily　believe

that　this　arena　has　been　often　trampled　by　the　feet　of　combatants；

that　many　victories　have　been　obtained　on　both　sides；　but　that　the

last　victory；　decisive　of　the　affair　between　the　contending　parties；