the critique of pure reason-第89章

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　　This　argument　always　deserves　to　be　mentioned　with　respect。　It　is

the　oldest；　the　clearest；　and　that　most　in　conformity　with　the

common　reason　of　humanity。　It　animates　the　study　of　nature；　as　it

itself　derives　its　existence　and　draws　ever　new　strength　from　that

source。　It　introduces　aims　and　ends　into　a　sphere　in　which　our

observation　could　not　of　itself　have　discovered　them；　and　extends

our　knowledge　of　nature；　by　directing　our　attention　to　a　unity；　the

principle　of　which　lies　beyond　nature。　This　knowledge　of　nature

again　reacts　upon　this　idea…　its　cause；　and　thus　our　belief　in　a

divine　author　of　the　universe　rises　to　the　power　of　an　irresistible

conviction。

　　For　these　reasons　it　would　be　utterly　hopeless　to　attempt　to　rob

this　argument　of　the　authority　it　has　always　enjoyed。　The　mind；

unceasingly　elevated　by　these　considerations；　which；　although

empirical；　are　so　remarkably　powerful；　and　continually　adding　to　their

force；　will　not　suffer　itself　to　be　depressed　by　the　doubts

suggested　by　subtle　speculation；　it　tears　itself　out　of　this　state

of　uncertainty；　the　moment　it　casts　a　look　upon　the　wondrous　forms

of　nature　and　the　majesty　of　the　universe；　and　rises　from　height　to

height；　from　condition　to　condition；　till　it　has　elevated　itself　to

the　supreme　and　unconditioned　author　of　all。

　　But　although　we　have　nothing　to　object　to　the　reasonableness　and

utility　of　this　procedure；　but　have　rather　to　commend　and　encourage

it；　we　cannot　approve　of　the　claims　which　this　argument　advances　to

demonstrative　certainty　and　to　a　reception　upon　its　own　merits；

apart　from　favour　or　support　by　other　arguments。　Nor　can　it　injure　the

cause　of　morality　to　endeavour　to　lower　the　tone　of　the　arrogant

sophist；　and　to　teach　him　that　modesty　and　moderation　which　are　the

properties　of　a　belief　that　brings　calm　and　content　into　the　mind；

without　prescribing　to　it　an　unworthy　subjection。　I　maintain；　then；

that　the　physico…theological　argument　is　insufficient　of　itself　to

prove　the　existence　of　a　Supreme　Being；　that　it　must　entrust　this　to

the　ontological　argument…　to　which　it　serves　merely　as　an

introduction；　and　that；　consequently；　this　argument　contains　the

only　possible　ground　of　proof　（possessed　by　speculative　reason）　for

the　existence　of　this　being。

　　The　chief　momenta　in　the　physico…theological　argument　are　as　follow：

1。　We　observe　in　the　world　manifest　signs　of　an　arrangement　full　of

purpose；　executed　with　great　wisdom；　and　argument　in　whole　of　a

content　indescribably　various；　and　of　an　extent　without　limits。　2。

This　arrangement　of　means　and　ends　is　entirely　foreign　to　the　things

existing　in　the　world…　it　belongs　to　them　merely　as　a　contingent

attribute；　in　other　words；　the　nature　of　different　things　could　not　of

itself；　whatever　means　were　employed；　harmoniously　tend　towards

certain　purposes；　were　they　not　chosen　and　directed　for　these　purposes

by　a　rational　and　disposing　principle；　in　accordance　with　certain

fundamental　ideas。　3。　There　exists；　therefore；　a　sublime　and　wise

cause　（or　several）；　which　is　not　merely　a　blind；　all…powerful

nature；　producing　the　beings　and　events　which　fill　the　world　in

unconscious　fecundity；　but　a　free　and　intelligent　cause　of　the

world。　4。　The　unity　of　this　cause　may　be　inferred　from　the　unity　of

the　reciprocal　relation　existing　between　the　parts　of　the　world；　as

portions　of　an　artistic　edifice…　an　inference　which　all　our

observation　favours；　and　all　principles　of　analogy　support。

　　In　the　above　argument；　it　is　inferred　from　the　analogy　of　certain

products　of　nature　with　those　of　human　art；　when　it　compels　Nature

to　bend　herself　to　its　purposes；　as　in　the　case　of　a　house；　a　ship；　or

a　watch；　that　the　same　kind　of　causality…　namely；　understanding　and

will…　resides　in　nature。　It　is　also　declared　that　the　internal

possibility　of　this　freely…acting　nature　（which　is　the　source　of　all

art；　and　perhaps　also　of　human　reason）　is　derivable　from　another　and

superhuman　art…　a　conclusion　which　would　perhaps　be　found　incapable　of

standing　the　test　of　subtle　transcendental　criticism。　But　to　neither

of　these　opinions　shall　we　at　present　object。　We　shall　only　remark

that　it　must　be　confessed　that；　if　we　are　to　discuss　the　subject　of

cause　at　all；　we　cannot　proceed　more　securely　than　with　the　guidance

of　the　analogy　subsisting　between　nature　and　such　products　of

design…　these　being　the　only　products　whose　causes　and　modes　of

organization　are　completely　known　to　us。　Reason　would　be　unable　to

satisfy　her　own　requirements；　if　she　passed　from　a　causality　which　she

does　know；　to　obscure　and　indemonstrable　principles　of　explanation

which　she　does　not　know。

　　According　to　the　physico…theological　argument；　the　connection　and

harmony　existing　in　the　world　evidence　the　contingency　of　the　form

merely；　but　not　of　the　matter；　that　is；　of　the　substance　of　the　world。

To　establish　the　truth　of　the　latter　opinion；　it　would　be　necessary　to

prove　that　all　things　would　be　in　themselves　incapable　of　this　harmony

and　order；　unless　they　were；　even　as　regards　their　substance；　the

product　of　a　supreme　wisdom。　But　this　would　require　very　different

grounds　of　proof　from　those　presented　by　the　analogy　with　human　art。

This　proof　can　at　most；　therefore；　demonstrate　the　existence　of　an

architect　of　the　world；　whose　efforts　are　limited　by　the

capabilities　of　the　material　with　which　he　works；　but　not　of　a　creator

of　the　world；　to　whom　all　things　are　subject。　Thus　this　argument　is

utterly　insufficient　for　the　task　before　us…　a　demonstration　of　the

existence　of　an　all…sufficient　being。　If　we　wish　to　prove　the

contingency　of　matter；　we　must　have　recourse　to　a　transcendental

argument；　which　the　physicotheological　was　constructed　expressly　to

avoid。

　　We　infer；　from　the　order　and　design　visible　in　the　universe；　as　a

disposition　of　a　thoroughly　contingent　character；　the　existence　of　a

cause　proportionate　thereto。　The　conception　of　this　cause　must　contain

certain　determinate　qualities；　and　it　must　therefore　be　regarded　as

the　conception　of　a　being　which　possesses　all　power；　wisdom；　and　so

on；　in　one　word；　all　perfection…　the　conception；　that　is；　of　an

all…sufficient　being。　For　the　predicates　of　very　great；　astonishing；

or　immeasurable　power　and　excellence；　give　us　no　determinate

conception　of　the　thing；　nor　do　they　inform　us　what　the　thing　may　be

in　itself。　They　merely　indicate　the　relation　existing　between　the

magnitude　of　the　object　and　the　observer；　who　compares　it　with　himself

and　with　his　own　power　of　comprehension；　and　are　mere　expressions　of

praise　and　reverence；　by　which　the　object　is　either　magnified；　or

the　observing　subject　depreciated　in　relation　to　the　object。　Where

we　have　to　do　with　the　magnitude　（of　the　perfection）　of　a　thing；　we

can　discover　no　determinate　conception；　except　that　which

comprehends　all　possible　perfection　or　completeness；　and　it　is　only

the　total　（omnitudo）　of　reality　which　is　completely　determined　in

and　through　its　conception　alone。

　　Now　it　cannot　be　expected　that　any　one　will　be　bold　enough　to

declare　that　he　has　a　perfect　insight　into　the　relation　which　the

magnitude　of　the　world　he　contemplates　bears　（in　its　extent　as　well　as

in　its　content）　to　omnipotence；　into　that　of　the　order　and　design　in

the　world　to　the　highest　wisdom；　and　that　of　the　unity　of　the　world　to

the　absolute　unity　of　a　Supreme　Being。　Physico…theology　is　therefore

incapable　of　presenting　a　determinate　conception　of　a　supreme　cause　of

the　world；　and　is　therefore　insufficient　as　a　principle　of　theology…　a

theology　which　is　itself　to　be　the　basis　of　religion。

　　The　attainment　of　absolute　totality　is　completely　impossible　on

the　path　of　empiricism。　And　yet　this　is　the　path　pursued　in　the

physicotheological　argument。　What　means　shall　we　employ　to　bridge

the　abyss？

　　After　elevating　ourselves　to　admiration　of　the　magnitude　of　the

power；　wisdom；　and　other　attributes　of　the　author　of　the　world；　and

finding　we　can　advance　no　further；　we　leave　the　argument　on

empirical　grounds；　and　proceed　to　infer　the　contingency　of　the　world

from　the　order　and　conformity　to　aims　that　are　observable　in　it。

From　this　contingency　we　infer；　by　the　help　of　transcendental

conceptions　alone；　the　existence　of　something　absolutely　necessary；

and；　still　advancing；　proceed　from　the　conception　of　the　absolute

necessity　of　the　first　cause　to　the　completely　determined　or

determining　conception　thereof…　the　conception　of　an　all…embracing

reality。　Thus　the　physico…theological；　failing　in　its　undertaking；

recurs　in　its　embarrassment　to　the　cosmological　argument；　and；　as　this

is　merely　the　ontological　argument　in　disguise；　it　executes　its　design

solely　by　the　aid　of　pure　reason；　although　it　at　first　professed　to

have　no　connection　with　this　faculty　and　to　base　its　entire

procedure　upon　experience　alone。

　　The　physico…theologians　have　therefore　no　reason　to　regard　with　such

contempt　the　transcendental　mode　of　argument；　and　to　look　down　upon

it；　with　the　conceit　of　clear…sighted　observers　of　nature；　as　the

brain…cobweb　of　obscure　speculatists。　For；　if　they　reflect　upon　and

examine　their　own　arguments；　they　will　find　that；　after　following

for　some　time　the　path　of　nature　and　experience；　and　discovering

themselves　no　nearer　their　object；　they　suddenly　leave　this　path　and

pass　into　the　region　of　pure　possibility；　where　they　hope　to　reach

upon　the　wings　of　ideas　what　had　eluded　all　their　empirical

investigations。　Gaining；　as　they　think；　a　firm　footing　after　this

immense　leap；　they　extend　their　determinate　conception…　into　the

possession　of　which　they　have　come；　they　know　not　how…　over　the

whole　sphere　of　creation；　and　explain　their　ideal；　which　is　entirely　a

product　of　pure　reason；　by　illustrations　drawn　from　experience…　though

in　a　degree　miserably　unworthy　of　the　grandeur　of　the　object；　while

they　refuse　to　acknowledge　that　they　have　arrived　at　this　cognition　or

hypothesis　by　a　very　different　road　from　that　of　experience。

　　Thus　the　physico…theological　is　based　upon　the　cosmological；　and

this　upon　the　ontological　proof　of　the　existence　of　a　Supreme　Being；

and　as　besides　these　three　there　is　no　other　path　open　to

speculative　reason；　the　ontological　proof；　on　the　ground　of　pure

conceptions　of　reason；　is　the　only　possible　one；　if　any　proof　of　a

proposition　so　far　transcending　the　empirical　exercise　of　the

understanding　is　possible　at　all。



　　　　SECTION　VII。　Critique　of　all　Theology　based　upon　Speculative

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Principles　of　Reason。



　　If　by　the　term　theology　I　understand　the　cognition　of　a　primal

being；　that　cognition　is　based　either　upon　reason　alone　（theologia

rationalis）　or　upon　revelation　（theologia　revelata）。　The　former

cogitates　its　object　either　by　means　of　pure　transcendental

conceptions；　as　an　ens　originarium；　realissimum；　ens　entium；　and　is

termed　transcendental　theology；　or；　by　means　of　a　conception　derived