PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thatthe
الفظيعة
terribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveعادة
usuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?المؤكد
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswith
حزين
sadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,inthe
شكل
formofsubject-andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:
we
مدينون
owetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,theالكبير
grandstyleofarchitecture.Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthatthe
أسوأ
worst,themosttiresome,andthemostخطورة
dangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.
Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakof
الروح
SpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?
HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexisted
مكان
anywherepreviously;withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasastateofdistress,and
مرتين
twiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthe
الصحافة
pressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthattheالروح
spiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressof
الروح
spiritandallthetensionofitsbow!Andperhapsalsothearrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,the
الشهيرة
famousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!What
غريبة
strange,perplexing,questionablequestions!Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.
Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwould
يبدو
seemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereis
خطر
riskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterخطر
risk.2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,
أسوأ
worsethanafool;thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
ButratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;
throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemto
الشك
doubthereontheverythreshold(whereالشك
doubt,however,wasmostnecessary);thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;
andsecondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.
Inspiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtothese
الشريرة
evilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"inevery
معنى
senseoftheterm.Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisive
معنى
sense;thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainis
يستحق
worthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionisأقل
lessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybeضرورية
necessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatiscertainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueina
خطيرة
dangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandevil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—howoftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.
Theyallposeasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeendiscoveredandattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisgenerallytheirheart'sdesireabstractedandrefined,isdefendedbythemwithargumentssoughtoutaftertheevent.
Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtoberegardedassuch,generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingtheconsciencewhichbravelyadmitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegood
الذوق
tasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematical
شكل
form,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshouldيجرؤ
daretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
ButwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
Foreveryimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreallyscientificmen,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,independentclock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.
Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,therefore,aregenerallyinquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;
itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
Iknowofnothingmorestingingthanthe
النكتة
jokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseen
المشهد
scenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetooka
مائة
hundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
Imaginetoyourselvesabeinglike
الطبيعة
Nature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawin
الطبيعة
Nature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!InyourprideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsistthatitshallbe
الطبيعة
Nature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytosee
الطبيعة
NatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophybeginstobelieveinitself.
Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastofthesharpestears.
Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—a
بعض
certainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallywearied
روح
soul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocular
الأدلة
evidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthefaithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructedyesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthe
السوق
market;adisgustofthemorerefined
الذوق
tasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,exceptthismotleyness.Thereinitseemstomethatweshould
نتفق
agreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
Itseemstomethatthereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttodivert
الانتباه
attentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,andespeciallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.KantwasfirstandforemostproudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
HewasproudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwent
الفور
immediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,themaliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!
Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeit
الجد
seriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnotrathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimetoreplacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausiblebeliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.
Andfinally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisno
شك
doubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...