the critique of pure reason-第97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！



is　evident　that　the　conception　is　meaningless。

　　The　second　regulative　idea　of　speculative　reason　is　the　conception

of　the　universe。　For　nature　is　properly　the　only　object　presented　to

us；　in　regard　to　which　reason　requires　regulative　principles。　Nature

is　twofold…　thinking　and　corporeal　nature。　To　cogitate　the　latter　in

regard　to　its　internal　possibility；　that　is；　to　determine　the

application　of　the　categories　to　it；　no　idea　is　required…　no

representation　which　transcends　experience。　In　this　sphere；　therefore；

an　idea　is　impossible；　sensuous　intuition　being　our　only　guide；　while；

in　the　sphere　of　psychology；　we　require　the　fundamental　idea　（I）；

which　contains　a　priori　a　certain　form　of　thought　namely；　the　unity　of

the　ego。　Pure　reason　has；　therefore；　nothing　left　but　nature　in

general；　and　the　completeness　of　conditions　in　nature　in　accordance

with　some　principle。　The　absolute　totality　of　the　series　of　these

conditions　is　an　idea；　which　can　never　be　fully　realized　in　the

empirical　exercise　of　reason；　while　it　is　serviceable　as　a　rule　for

the　procedure　of　reason　in　relation　to　that　totality。　It　requires

us；　in　the　explanation　of　given　phenomena　（in　the　regress　or　ascent　in

the　series）；　to　proceed　as　if　the　series　were　infinite　in　itself；　that

is；　were　prolonged　in　indefinitum；；　while　on　the　other　hand；　where

reason　is　regarded　as　itself　the　determining　cause　（in　the　region　of

freedom）；　we　are　required　to　proceed　as　if　we　had　not　before　us　an

object　of　sense；　but　of　the　pure　understanding。　In　this　latter　case；

the　conditions　do　not　exist　in　the　series　of　phenomena；　but　may　be

placed　quite　out　of　and　beyond　it；　and　the　series　of　conditions　may　be

regarded　as　if　it　had　an　absolute　beginning　from　an　intelligible

cause。　All　this　proves　that　the　cosmological　ideas　are　nothing　but

regulative　principles；　and　not　constitutive；　and　that　their　aim　is　not

to　realize　an　actual　totality　in　such　series。　The　full　discussion　of

this　subject　will　be　found　in　its　proper　place　in　the　chapter　on　the

antinomy　of　pure　reason。

　　The　third　idea　of　pure　reason；　containing　the　hypothesis　of　a

being　which　is　valid　merely　as　a　relative　hypothesis；　is　that　of　the

one　and　all…sufficient　cause　of　all　cosmological　series；　in　other

words；　the　idea　of　God。　We　have　not　the　slightest　ground　absolutely　to

admit　the　existence　of　an　object　corresponding　to　this　idea；　for

what　can　empower　or　authorize　us　to　affirm　the　existence　of　a　being　of

the　highest　perfection…　a　being　whose　existence　is　absolutely

necessary…　merely　because　we　possess　the　conception　of　such　a　being？

The　answer　is：　It　is　the　existence　of　the　world　which　renders　this

hypothesis　necessary。　But　this　answer　makes　it　perfectly　evident

that　the　idea　of　this　being；　like　all　other　speculative　ideas；　is

essentially　nothing　more　than　a　demand　upon　reason　that　it　shall

regulate　the　connection　which　it　and　its　subordinate　faculties

introduce　into　the　phenomena　of　the　world　by　principles　of

systematic　unity　and；　consequently；　that　it　shall　regard　all　phenomena

as　originating　from　one　all…embracing　being；　as　the　supreme　and

all…sufficient　cause。　From　this　it　is　plain　that　the　only　aim　of

reason　in　this　procedure　is　the　establishment　of　its　own　formal　rule

for　the　extension　of　its　dominion　in　the　world　of　experience；　that

it　does　not　aim　at　an　extension　of　its　cognition　beyond　the　limits

of　experience；　and　that；　consequently；　this　idea　does　not　contain

any　constitutive　principle。

　　The　highest　formal　unity；　which　is　based　upon　ideas　alone；　is　the

unity　of　all　things…　a　unity　in　accordance　with　an　aim　or　purpose；　and

the　speculative　interest　of　reason　renders　it　necessary　to　regard

all　order　in　the　world　as　if　it　originated　from　the　intention　and

design　of　a　supreme　reason。　This　principle　unfolds　to　the　view　of

reason　in　the　sphere　of　experience　new　and　enlarged　prospects；　and

invites　it　to　connect　the　phenomena　of　the　world　according　to

teleological　laws；　and　in　this　way　to　attain　to　the　highest　possible

degree　of　systematic　unity。　The　hypothesis　of　a　supreme

intelligence；　as　the　sole　cause　of　the　universe…　an　intelligence　which

has　for　us　no　more　than　an　ideal　existence…　is　accordingly　always　of

the　greatest　service　to　reason。　Thus；　if　we　presuppose；　in　relation　to

the　figure　of　the　earth　（which　is　round；　but　somewhat　flattened　at　the

poles）；*　or　that　of　mountains　or　seas；　wise　designs　on　the　part　of

an　author　of　the　universe；　we　cannot　fail　to　make；　by　the　light　of

this　supposition；　a　great　number　of　interesting　discoveries。　If　we

keep　to　this　hypothesis；　as　a　principle　which　is　purely　regulative；

even　error　cannot　be　very　detrimental。　For；　in　this　case；　error　can

have　no　more　serious　consequences　than　that；　where　we　expected　to

discover　a　teleological　connection　（nexus　finalis）；　only　a

mechanical　or　physical　connection　appears。　In　such　a　case；　we　merely

fail　to　find　the　additional　form　of　unity　we　expected；　but　we　do　not

lose　the　rational　unity　which　the　mind　requires　in　its　procedure　in

experience。　But　even　a　miscarriage　of　this　sort　cannot　affect　the

law　in　its　general　and　teleological　relations。　For　although　we　may

convict　an　anatomist　of　an　error；　when　he　connects　the　limb　of　some

animal　with　a　certain　purpose；　it　is　quite　impossible　to　prove　in　a

single　case　that　any　arrangement　of　nature；　be　it　what　it　may；　is

entirely　without　aim　or　design。　And　thus　medical　physiology；　by　the

aid　of　a　principle　presented　to　it　by　pure　reason；　extends　its　very

limited　empirical　knowledge　of　the　purposes　of　the　different　parts

of　an　organized　body　so　far　that　it　may　be　asserted　with　the　utmost

confidence；　and　with　the　approbation　of　all　reflecting　men；　that　every

organ　or　bodily　part　of　an　animal　has　its　use　and　answers　a　certain

design。　Now；　this　is　a　supposition　which；　if　regarded　as　of　a

constitutive　character；　goes　much　farther　than　any　experience　or

observation　of　ours　can　justify。　Hence　it　is　evident　that　it　is

nothing　more　than　a　regulative　principle　of　reason；　which　aims　at

the　highest　degree　of　systematic　unity；　by　the　aid　of　the　idea　of　a

causality　according　to　design　in　a　supreme　cause…　a　cause　which　it

regards　as　the　highest　intelligence。



　　*The　advantages　which　a　circular　form；　in　the　case　of　the　earth；　has

over　every　other；　are　well　known。　But　few　are　aware　that　the　slight

flattening　at　the　poles；　which　gives　it　the　figure　of　a　spheroid；　is

the　only　cause　which　prevents　the　elevations　of　continents　or　even

of　mountains；　perhaps　thrown　up　by　some　internal　convulsion；　from

continually　altering　the　position　of　the　axis　of　the　earth…　and　that

to　some　considerable　degree　in　a　short　time。　The　great　protuberance　of

the　earth　under　the　Equator　serves　to　overbalance　the　impetus　of　all

other　masses　of　earth；　and　thus　to　preserve　the　axis　of　the　earth；

so　far　as　we　can　observe；　in　its　present　position。　And　yet　this　wise

arrangement　has　been　unthinkingly　explained　from　the　equilibrium　of

the　formerly　fluid　mass。



　　If；　however；　we　neglect　this　restriction　of　the　idea　to　a　purely

regulative　influence；　reason　is　betrayed　into　numerous　errors。　For

it　has　then　left　the　ground　of　experience；　in　which　alone　are　to　be

found　the　criteria　of　truth；　and　has　ventured　into　the　region　of　the

incomprehensible　and　unsearchable；　on　the　heights　of　which　it　loses

its　power　and　collectedness；　because　it　has　completely　severed　its

connection　with　experience。

　　The　first　error　which　arises　from　our　employing　the　idea　of　a

Supreme　Being　as　a　constitutive　（in　repugnance　to　the　very　nature　of

an　idea）；　and　not　as　a　regulative　principle；　is　the　error　of

inactive　reason　（ignava　ratio）。*　We　may　so　term　every　principle

which　requires　us　to　regard　our　investigations　of　nature　as　absolutely

complete；　and　allows　reason　to　cease　its　inquiries；　as　if　it　had　fully

executed　its　task。　Thus　the　psychological　idea　of　the　ego；　when

employed　as　a　constitutive　principle　for　the　explanation　of　the

phenomena　of　the　soul；　and　for　the　extension　of　our　knowledge

regarding　this　subject　beyond　the　limits　of　experience…　even　to　the

condition　of　the　soul　after　death…　is　convenient　enough　for　the

purposes　of　pure　reason；　but　detrimental　and　even　ruinous　to　its

interests　in　the　sphere　of　nature　and　experience。　The　dogmatizing

spiritualist　explains　the　unchanging　unity　of　our　personality

through　all　changes　of　condition　from　the　unity　of　a　thinking

substance；　the　interest　which　we　take　in　things　and　events　that　can

happen　only　after　our　death；　from　a　consciousness　of　the　immaterial

nature　of　our　thinking　subject；　and　so　on。　Thus　he　dispenses　with

all　empirical　investigations　into　the　cause　of　these　internal

phenomena；　and　with　all　possible　explanations　of　them　upon　purely

natural　grounds；　while；　at　the　dictation　of　a　transcendent　reason；

he　passes　by　the　immanent　sources　of　cognition　in　experience；

greatly　to　his　own　ease　and　convenience；　but　to　the　sacrifice　of

all；　genuine　insight　and　intelligence。　These　prejudicial

consequences　become　still　more　evident；　in　the　case　of　the

dogmatical　treatment　of　our　idea　of　a　Supreme　Intelligence；　and　the

theological　system　of　nature　（physico…theology）　which　is　falsely　based

upon　it。　For；　in　this　case；　the　aims　which　we　observe　in　nature；　and

often　those　which　we　merely　fancy　to　exist；　make　the　investigation

of　causes　a　very　easy　task；　by　directing　us　to　refer　such　and　such

phenomena　immediately　to　the　unsearchable　will　and　counsel　of　the

Supreme　Wisdom；　while　we　ought　to　investigate　their　causes　in　the

general　laws　of　the　mechanism　of　matter。　We　are　thus　recommended　to

consider　the　labour　of　reason　as　ended；　when　we　have　merely

dispensed　with　its　employment；　which　is　guided　surely　and　safely

only　by　the　order　of　nature　and　the　series　of　changes　in　the　world…

which　are　arranged　according　to　immanent　and　general　laws。　This

error　may　be　avoided；　if　we　do　not　merely　consider　from　the　view…point

of　final　aims　certain　parts　of　nature；　such　as　the　division　and

structure　of　a　continent；　the　constitution　and　direction　of　certain

mountain…chains；　or　even　the　organization　existing　in　the　vegetable

and　animal　kingdoms；　but　look　upon　this　systematic　unity　of　nature

in　a　perfectly　general　way；　in　relation　to　the　idea　of　a　Supreme

Intelligence。　If　we　pursue　this　advice；　we　lay　as　a　foundation　for　all

investigation　the　conformity　to　aims　of　all　phenomena　of　nature　in

accordance　with　universal　laws；　for　which　no　particular　arrangement　of

nature　is　exempt；　but　only　cognized　by　us　with　more　or　less

difficulty；　and　we　possess　a　regulative　principle　of　the　systematic

unity　of　a　teleological　connection；　which　we　do　not　attempt　to

anticipate　or　predetermine。　All　that　we　do；　and　ought　to　do；　is　to

follow　out　the　physico…mechanical　connection　in　nature　according　to

general　laws；　with　the　hope　of　discovering；　sooner　or　later；　the

teleological　connection　also。　Thus；　and　thus　only；　can