the critique of pure reason-第87章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



absolutely　necessary　existence。

　　All　illusions　in　an　argument　are　more　easily　detected　when　they

are　presented　in　the　formal　manner　employed　by　the　schools；　which　we

now　proceed　to　do。

　　If　the　proposition：　〃Every　absolutely　necessary　being　is　likewise　an

ens　realissimum；〃　is　correct　（and　it　is　this　which　constitutes　the

nervus　probandi　of　the　cosmological　argument）；　it　must；　like　all

affirmative　judgements；　be　capable　of　conversion…　the　conversio　per

accidens；　at　least。　It　follows；　then；　that　some　entia　realissima　are

absolutely　necessary　beings。　But　no　ens　realissimum　is　in　any

respect　different　from　another；　and　what　is　valid　of　some　is　valid

of　all。　In　this　present　case；　therefore；　I　may　employ　simple

conversion；　and　say：　〃Every　ens　realissimum　is　a　necessary　being。〃　But

as　this　proposition　is　determined　a　priori　by　the　conceptions

contained　in　it；　the　mere　conception　of　an　ens　realissimum　must

possess　the　additional　attribute　of　absolute　necessity。　But　this　is

exactly　what　was　maintained　in　the　ontological　argument；　and　not

recognized　by　the　cosmological；　although　it　formed　the　real　ground

of　its　disguised　and　illusory　reasoning。

　　Thus　the　second　mode　employed　by　speculative　reason　of　demonstrating

the　existence　of　a　Supreme　Being；　is　not　only；　like　the　first；

illusory　and　inadequate；　but　possesses　the　additional　blemish　of　an

ignoratio　elenchi…　professing　to　conduct　us　by　a　new　road　to　the

desired　goal；　but　bringing　us　back；　after　a　short　circuit；　to　the

old　path　which　we　had　deserted　at　its　call。

　　I　mentioned　above　that　this　cosmological　argument　contains　a　perfect

nest　of　dialectical　assumptions；　which　transcendental　criticism　does

not　find　it　difficult　to　expose　and　to　dissipate。　I　shall　merely

enumerate　these；　leaving　it　to　the　reader；　who　must　by　this　time　be

well　practised　in　such　matters；　to　investigate　the　fallacies

residing　therein。

　　The　following　fallacies；　for　example；　are　discoverable　in　this

mode　of　proof：　1。　The　transcendental　principle：　〃Everything　that　is

contingent　must　have　a　cause〃…　a　principle　without　significance；

except　in　the　sensuous　world。　For　the　purely　intellectual　conception

of　the　contingent　cannot　produce　any　synthetical　proposition；　like

that　of　causality；　which　is　itself　without　significance　or

distinguishing　characteristic　except　in　the　phenomenal　world。　But　in

the　present　case　it　is　employed　to　help　us　beyond　the　limits　of　its

sphere。　2。　〃From　the　impossibility　of　an　infinite　ascending　series

of　causes　in　the　world　of　sense　a　first　cause　is　inferred〃；　a

conclusion　which　the　principles　of　the　employment　of　reason　do　not

justify　even　in　the　sphere　of　experience；　and　still　less　when　an

attempt　is　made　to　pass　the　limits　of　this　sphere。　3。　Reason　allows

itself　to　be　satisfied　upon　insufficient　grounds；　with　regard　to　the

completion　of　this　series。　It　removes　all　conditions　（without　which；

however；　no　conception　of　Necessity　can　take　place）；　and；　as　after

this　it　is　beyond　our　power　to　form　any　other　conceptions；　it

accepts　this　as　a　completion　of　the　conception　it　wishes　to　form　of

the　series。　4。　The　logical　possibility　of　a　conception　of　the　total　of

reality　（the　criterion　of　this　possibility　being　the　absence　of

contradiction）　is　confound。　ed　with　the　transcendental；　which　requires

a　principle　of　the　practicability　of　such　a　synthesis…　a　principle

which　again　refers　us　to　the　world　of　experience。　And　so　on。

　　The　aim　of　the　cosmological　argument　is　to　avoid　the　necessity　of

proving　the　existence　of　a　necessary　being　priori　from　mere

conceptions…　a　proof　which　must　be　ontological；　and　of　which　we　feel

ourselves　quite　incapable。　With　this　purpose；　we　reason　from　an　actual

existence…　an　experience　in　general；　to　an　absolutely　necessary

condition　of　that　existence。　It　is　in　this　case　unnecessary　to

demonstrate　its　possibility。　For　after　having　proved　that　it　exists；

the　question　regarding　its　possibility　is　superfluous。　Now；　when　we

wish　to　define　more　strictly　the　nature　of　this　necessary　being；　we　do

not　look　out　for　some　being　the　conception　of　which　would　enable　us　to

comprehend　the　necessity　of　its　being…　for　if　we　could　do　this；　an

empirical　presupposition　would　be　unnecessary；　no；　we　try　to

discover　merely　the　negative　condition　（conditio　sine　qua　non）；

without　which　a　being　would　not　be　absolutely　necessary。　Now　this

would　be　perfectly　admissible　in　every　sort　of　reasoning；　from　a

consequence　to　its　principle；　but　in　the　present　case　it　unfortunately

happens　that　the　condition　of　absolute　necessity　can　be　discovered

in　but　a　single　being；　the　conception　of　which　must　consequently

contain　all　that　is　requisite　for　demonstrating　the　presence　of

absolute　necessity；　and　thus　entitle　me　to　infer　this　absolute

necessity　a　priori。　That　is；　it　must　be　possible　to　reason　conversely；

and　say：　The　thing；　to　which　the　conception　of　the　highest　reality

belongs；　is　absolutely　necessary。　But　if　I　cannot　reason　thus…　and　I

cannot；　unless　I　believe　in　the　sufficiency　of　the　ontological

argument…　I　find　insurmountable　obstacles　in　my　new　path；　and　am

really　no　farther　than　the　point　from　which　I　set　out。　The

conception　of　a　Supreme　Being　satisfies　all　questions　a　priori

regarding　the　internal　determinations　of　a　thing；　and　is　for　this

reason　an　ideal　without　equal　or　parallel；　the　general　conception　of

it　indicating　it　as　at　the　same　time　an　ens　individuum　among　all

possible　things。　But　the　conception　does　not　satisfy　the　question

regarding　its　existence…　which　was　the　purpose　of　all　our　inquiries；

and；　although　the　existence　of　a　necessary　being　were　admitted；　we

should　find　it　impossible　to　answer　the　question：　What　of　all　things

in　the　world　must　be　regarded　as　such？

　　It　is　certainly　allowable　to　admit　the　existence　of　an

all…sufficient　being…　a　cause　of　all　possible　effects…　for　the　purpose

of　enabling　reason　to　introduce　unity　into　its　mode　and　grounds　of

explanation　with　regard　to　phenomena。　But　to　assert　that　such　a

being　necessarily　exists；　is　no　longer　the　modest　enunciation　of　an

admissible　hypothesis；　but　the　boldest　declaration　of　an　apodeictic

certainty；　for　the　cognition　of　that　which　is　absolutely　necessary

must　itself　possess　that　character。

　　The　aim　of　the　transcendental　ideal　formed　by　the　mind　is　either

to　discover　a　conception　which　shall　harmonize　with　the　idea　of

absolute　necessity；　or　a　conception　which　shall　contain　that　idea。

If　the　one　is　possible；　so　is　the　other；　for　reason　recognizes　that

alone　as　absolutely　necessary　which　is　necessary　from　its

conception。　But　both　attempts　are　equally　beyond　our　power…　we　find　it

impossible　to　satisfy　the　understanding　upon　this　point；　and　as

impossible　to　induce　it　to　remain　at　rest　in　relation　to　this

incapacity。

　　Unconditioned　necessity；　which；　as　the　ultimate　support　and　stay

of　all　existing　things；　is　an　indispensable　requirement　of　the　mind；

is　an　abyss　on　the　verge　of　which　human　reason　trembles　in　dismay。

Even　the　idea　of　eternity；　terrible　and　sublime　as　it　is；　as

depicted　by　Haller；　does　not　produce　upon　the　mental　vision　such　a

feeling　of　awe　and　terror；　for；　although　it　measures　the　duration　of

things；　it　does　not　support　them。　We　cannot　bear；　nor　can　we　rid

ourselves　of　the　thought　that　a　being；　which　we　regard　as　the　greatest

of　all　possible　existences；　should　say　to　himself：　I　am　from

eternity　to　eternity；　beside　me　there　is　nothing；　except　that　which

exists　by　my　will；　whence　then　am　I？　Here　all　sinks　away　from　under

us；　and　the　greatest；　as　the　smallest；　perfection；　hovers　without　stay

or　footing　in　presence　of　the　speculative　reason；　which　finds　it　as

easy　to　part　with　the　one　as　with　the　other。

　　Many　physical　powers；　which　evidence　their　existence　by　their

effects；　are　perfectly　inscrutable　in　their　nature；　they　elude　all　our

powers　of　observation。　The　transcendental　object　which　forms　the　basis

of　phenomena；　and；　in　connection　with　it；　the　reason　why　our

sensibility　possesses　this　rather　than　that　particular　kind　of

conditions；　are　and　must　ever　remain　hidden　from　our　mental　vision；

the　fact　is　there；　the　reason　of　the　fact　we　cannot　see。　But　an

ideal　of　pure　reason　cannot　be　termed　mysterious　or　inscrutable；

because　the　only　credential　of　its　reality　is　the　need　of　it　felt　by

reason；　for　the　purpose　of　giving　completeness　to　the　world　of

synthetical　unity。　An　ideal　is　not　even　given　as　a　cogitable　object；

and　therefore　cannot　be　inscrutable；　on　the　contrary；　it　must；　as　a

mere　idea；　be　based　on　the　constitution　of　reason　itself；　and　on

this　account　must　be　capable　of　explanation　and　solution。　For　the　very

essence　of　reason　consists　in　its　ability　to　give　an　account；　of　all

our　conceptions；　opinions；　and　assertions…　upon　objective；　or；　when

they　happen　to　be　illusory　and　fallacious；　upon　subjective　grounds。



　　　　　Detection　and　Explanation　of　the　Dialectical　Illusion　in

　　　　　　　all　Transcendental　Arguments　for　the　Existence　of　a

　　　　　　　Necessary　Being。



　　Both　of　the　above　arguments　are　transcendental；　in　other　words；　they

do　not　proceed　upon　empirical　principles。　For；　although　the

cosmological　argument　professed　to　lay　a　basis　of　experience　for　its

edifice　of　reasoning；　it　did　not　ground　its　procedure　upon　the

peculiar　constitution　of　experience；　but　upon　pure　principles　of

reason…　in　relation　to　an　existence　given　by　empirical

consciousness；　utterly　abandoning　its　guidance；　however；　for　the

purpose　of　supporting　its　assertions　entirely　upon　pure　conceptions。

Now　what　is　the　cause；　in　these　transcendental　arguments；　of　the

dialectical；　but　natural；　illusion；　which　connects　the　conceptions

of　necessity　and　supreme　reality；　and　hypostatizes　that　which　cannot

be　anything　but　an　idea？　What　is　the　cause　of　this　unavoidable　step　on

the　part　of　reason；　of　admitting　that　some　one　among　all　existing

things　must　be　necessary；　while　it　falls　back　from　the　assertion　of

the　existence　of　such　a　being　as　from　an　abyss？　And　how　does　reason

proceed　to　explain　this　anomaly　to　itself；　and　from　the　wavering

condition　of　a　timid　and　reluctant　approbation…　always　again

withdrawn…　arrive　at　a　calm　and　settled　insight　into　its　cause？

　　It　is　something　very　remarkable　that；　on　the　supposition　that

something　exists；　I　cannot　avoid　the　inference　that　something　exists

necessarily。　Upon　this　perfectly　natural…　but　not　on　that　account

reliable…　inference　does　the　cosmological　argument　rest。　But；　let　me

form　any　conception　whatever　of　a　thing；　I　find　that　I　cannot　cogitate

the　existence　of　the　thing　as　absolutely　necessary；　and　that　nothing

prevents　me…　be　the　thing　or　being　what　it　may…　from　cogitating　its

non…existence。　I　may　thus　be　obliged　to　admit　that　all　existing　things

have　a　necessary　basis；　while　I　cannot　cogitate　any　single　or

individual　thing　as　necessary。　In　other　words；　I　can　never　complete

the　regress　through　the　conditions　of　existence；　without