the+critique+of+pure+reason_纯粹理性批判-第6节

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validity；　that　is　real　possibility…　the　other　possibility　being　merely
logical。　We　are　not；　however；　confined　to　theoretical　sources　of
cognition　for　the　means　of　satisfying　this　additional　requirement；　but
may　derive　them　from　practical　sources。

　　The　positive　value　of　the　critical　principles　of　pure　reason　in
relation　to　the　conception　of　God　and　of　the　simple　nature　of　the
soul；　admits　of　a　similar　exemplification；　but　on　this　point　I　shall
not　dwell。　I　cannot　even　make　the　assumption…　as　the　practical
interests　of　morality　require…　of　God；　freedom；　and　immortality；　if
I　do　not　deprive　speculative　reason　of　its　pretensions　to　transcendent
insight。　For　to　arrive　at　these；　it　must　make　use　of　principles　which；
in　fact；　extend　only　to　the　objects　of　possible　experience；　and
which　cannot　be　applied　to　objects　beyond　this　sphere　without
converting　them　into　phenomena；　and　thus　rendering　the　practical
extension　of　pure　reason　impossible。　I　must；　therefore；　abolish
knowledge；　to　make　room　for　belief。　The　dogmatism　of　metaphysics；　that
is；　the　presumption　that　it　is　possible　to　advance　in　metaphysics
without　previous　criticism；　is　the　true　source　of　the　unbelief　（always
dogmatic）　which　militates　against　morality。
　　Thus；　while　it　may　be　no　very　difficult　task　to　bequeath　a　legacy　to
posterity；　in　the　shape　of　a　system　of　metaphysics　constructed　in
accordance　with　the　Critique　of　Pure　Reason；　still　the　value　of　such　a
bequest　is　not　to　be　depreciated。　It　will　render　an　important
service　to　reason；　by　substituting　the　certainty　of　scientific
method　for　that　random　groping　after　results　without　the　guidance　of
principles；　which　has　hitherto　characterized　the　pursuit　of
metaphysical　studies。　It　will　render　an　important　service　to　the
inquiring　mind　of　youth；　by　leading　the　student　to　apply　his　powers　to
the　cultivation　of。　genuine　science；　instead　of　wasting　them；　as　at
present；　on　speculations　which　can　never　lead　to　any　result；　or　on　the
idle　attempt　to　invent　new　ideas　and　opinions。　But；　above　all；　it　will
confer　an　inestimable　benefit　on　morality　and　religion；　by　showing
that　all　the　objections　urged　against　them　may　be　silenced　for　ever　by
the　Socratic　method；　that　is　to　say；　by　proving　the　ignorance　of　the
objector。　For；　as　the　world　has　never　been；　and；　no　doubt；　never
will　be　without　a　system　of　metaphysics　of　one　kind　or　another；　it
is　the　highest　and　weightiest　concern　of　philosophy　to　render　it
powerless　for　harm；　by　closing　up　the　sources　of　error。
　　This　important　change　in　the　field　of　the　sciences；　this　loss　of　its
fancied　possessions；　to　which　speculative　reason　must　submit；　does　not
prove　in　any　way　detrimental　to　the　general　interests　of　humanity。　The
advantages　which　the　world　has　derived　from　the　teachings　of　pure
reason　are　not　at　all　impaired。　The　loss　falls；　in　its　whole　extent；
on　the　monopoly　of　the　schools；　but　does　not　in　the　slightest　degree
touch　the　interests　of　mankind。　I　appeal　to　the　most　obstinate
dogmatist；　whether　the　proof　of　the　continued　existence　of　the　soul
after　death；　derived　from　the　simplicity　of　its　substance；　of　the
freedom　of　the　will　in　opposition　to　the　general　mechanism　of
nature；　drawn　from　the　subtle　but　impotent　distinction　of　subjective
and　objective　practical　necessity；　or　of　the　existence　of　God；　deduced
from　the　conception　of　an　ens　realissimum…　the　contingency　of　the
changeable；　and　the　necessity　of　a　prime　mover；　has　ever　been　able
to　pass　beyond　the　limits　of　the　schools；　to　penetrate　the　public
mind；　or　to　exercise　the　slightest　influence　on　its　convictions。　It
must　be　admitted　that　this　has　not　been　the　case　and　that；　owing　to
the　unfitness　of　the　mon　understanding　for　such　subtle
speculations；　it　can　never　be　expected　to　take　place。　On　the　contrary；
it　is　plain　that　the　hope　of　a　future　life　arises　from　the　feeling；
which　exists　in　the　breast　of　every　man；　that　the　temporal　is
inadequate　to　meet　and　satisfy　the　demands　of　his　nature。　In　like
manner；　it　cannot　be　doubted　that　the　clear　exhibition　of　duties　in
opposition　to　all　the　claims　of　inclination；　gives　rise　to　the
consciousness　of　freedom；　and　that　the　glorious　order；　beauty；　and
providential　care；　everywhere　displayed　in　nature；　give　rise　to　the
belief　in　a　wise　and　great　Author　of　the　Universe。　Such　is　the　genesis
of　these　general　convictions　of　mankind；　so　far　as　they　depend　on
rational　grounds；　and　this　public　property　not　only　remains
undisturbed；　but　is　even　raised　to　greater　importance；　by　the　doctrine
that　the　schools　have　no　right　to　arrogate　to　themselves　a　more
profound　insight　into　a　matter　of　general　human　concernment　than
that　to　which　the　great　mass　of　men；　ever　held　by　us　in　the　highest
estimation；　can　without　difficulty　attain；　and　that　the　schools
should；　therefore；　confine　themselves　to　the　elaboration　of　these
universally　prehensible　and；　from　a　moral　point　of　view；　amply
satisfactory　proofs。　The　change；　therefore；　affects　only　the
arrogant　pretensions　of　the　schools；　which　would　gladly　retain；　in
their　own　exclusive　possession；　the　key　to　the　truths　which　they
impart　to　the　public。

　　　　　　　　　　Quod　mecum　nescit；　solus　vult　scire　videri。

At　the　same　time　it　does　not　deprive　the　speculative　philosopher　of
his　just　title　to　be　the　sole　depositor　of　a　science　which　benefits
the　public　without　its　knowledge…　I　mean；　the　Critique　of　Pure　Reason。
This　can　never　bee　popular　and；　indeed；　has　no　occasion　to　be　so；
for　finespun　arguments　in　favour　of　useful　truths　make　just　as
little　impression　on　the　public　mind　as　the　equally　subtle
objections　brought　against　these　truths。　On　the　other　hand；　since　both
inevitably　force　themselves　on　every　man　who　rises　to　the　height　of
speculation；　it　bees　the　manifest　duty　of　the　schools　to　enter　upon
a　thorough　investigation　of　the　rights　of　speculative　reason　and；
thus；　to　prevent　the　scandal　which　metaphysical　controversies　are
sure；　sooner　or　later；　to　cause　even　to　the　masses。　It　is　only　by
criticism　that　metaphysicians　（and；　as　such；　theologians　too）　can　be
saved　from　these　controversies　and　from　the　consequent　perversion　of
their　doctrines。　Criticism　alone　can　strike　a　blow　at　the　root　of
materialism；　fatalism；　atheism；　free…thinking；　fanaticism；　and
superstition；　which　are　universally　injurious…　as　well　as　of
idealism　and　scepticism；　which　are　dangerous　to　the　schools；　but　can
scarcely　pass　over　to　the　public。　If　governments　think　proper　to
interfere　with　the　affairs　of　the　learned；　it　would　be　more　consistent
with　a　wise　regard　for　the　interests　of　science；　as　well　as　for
those　of　society；　to　favour　a　criticism　of　this　kind；　by　which　alone
the　labours　of　reason　can　be　established　on　a　firm　basis；　than　to
support　the　ridiculous　despotism　of　the　schools；　which　raise　a　loud
cry　of　danger　to　the　public　over　the　destruction　of　cobwebs；　of
which　the　public　has　never　taken　any　notice；　and　the　loss　of　which；
therefore；　it　can　never　feel。
　　This　critical　science　is　not　opposed　to　the　dogmatic　procedure　of
reason　in　pure　cognition；　for　pure　cognition　must　always　be
dogmatic；　that　is；　must　rest　on　strict　demonstration　from　sure
principles　a　priori…　but　to　dogmatism；　that　is；　to　the　presumption
that　it　is　possible　to　make　any　progress　with　a　pure　cognition；
derived　from　（philosophical）　conceptions；　according　to　the
principles　which　reason　has　long　been　in　the　habit　of　employing…
without　first　inquiring　in　what　way　and　by　what　right　reason　has
e　into　the　possession　of　these　principles。　Dogmatism　is　thus　the
dogmatic　procedure　of　pure　reason　without　previous　criticism　of　its
own　powers；　and　in　opposing　this　procedure；　we　must　not　be　supposed　to
lend　any　countenance　to　that　loquacious　shallowness　which　arrogates　to
itself　the　name　of　popularity；　nor　yet　to　scepticism；　which　makes
short　work　with　the　whole　science　of　metaphysics。　On　the　contrary；　our
criticism　is　the　necessary　preparation　for　a　thoroughly　scientific
system　of　metaphysics　which　must　perform　its　task　entirely　a　priori；
to　the　plete　satisfaction　of　speculative　reason；　and　must；
therefore；　be　treated；　not　popularly；　but　scholastically。　In
carrying　out　the　plan　which　the　Critique　prescribes；　that　is；　in　the
future　system　of　metaphysics；　we　must　have　recourse　to　the　strict
method　of　the　celebrated　Wolf；　the　greatest　of　all　dogmatic
philosophers。　He　was　the　first　to　point　out　the　necessity　of
establishing　fixed　principles；　of　clearly　defining　our　conceptions；
and　of　subjecting　our　demonstrations　to　the　most　severe　scrutiny；
instead　of　rashly　jumping　at　conclusions。　The　example　which　he　set
served　to　awaken　that　spirit　of　profound　and　thorough　investigation
which　is　not　yet　extinct　in　Germany。　He　would　have　been　peculiarly
well　fitted　to　give　a　truly　scientific　character　to　metaphysical
studies；　had　it　occurred　to　him　to　prepare　the　field　by　a　criticism　of
the　organum；　that　is；　of　pure　reason　itself。　That　be　failed　to
perceive　the　necessity　of　such　a　procedure　must　be　ascribed　to　the
dogmatic　mode　of　thought　which　characterized　his　age；　and　on　this
point　the　philosophers　of　his　time；　as　well　as　of　all　previous
times；　have　nothing　to　reproach　each　other　with。　Those　who　reject　at
once　the　me