PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thatthe
forfærdelige
terribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhavesædvanligvis
usuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswith
trist
sadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeak
alvorligt
seriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,inthe
form
formofsubject-andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,very
personlige
personal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstill
tidligere
earliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,guld
gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenbrugt
spentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:we
skylder
owetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitecture.Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthatthe
værste
worst,themosttiresome,andthemostfarlige
dangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureÅnd
SpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleast
nyde
enjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEPligt
DUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakof
Ånden
SpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamalady
angribe
attackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistedanywherepreviously;
withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasa
tilstand
stateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthe
ånden
spiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoare
hverken
neitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthetensionofitsbow!Andperhapsalsothearrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,the
berømte
famousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespekt
respect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlagt
laidbeforeus!Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.
Isitany
underligt
wonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?ThatthisSphinx
lærer
teachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOT
Snarere
RATHERuntruth?Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruth
præsenterede
presenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopræsenterede
presentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwould
ser ud
seemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISK
Rejse
RAISINGit?Forthereis
risiko
riskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisiko
risk.2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,
værre
worsethanafool;thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
But
snarere
ratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,
dog
however,wasmostnecessary);thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,firstly,
om
whetherantithesesexistatall;andsecondly,
om
whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,foruden
besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.Inspiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodand
respekterede
respectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseonde
evilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuch
farlige
dangerous"Perhapses"!Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthe
farlige
dangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophers
begynder
beginningtoappear.3.
Havingkeptasharp
øje
eyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbetælle
countedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;onehashereto
lære
learnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisive
forstand
sense;thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,and
tvunget
forcedintodefinitechannels.Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainis
værd
worthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionismindre
lessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournew
sprog
languagesoundsmoststrangely.Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatis
sikkert
certainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinafarlig
dangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandondt
evil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhow
uskyldige
innocenttheyare—howoftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallrejser
raisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.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
smag
tasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthat
fører
lead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile
smile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematical
form
form,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshouldvover
daretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichthe
hele
entireplanthasalwaysgrown.Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
Butwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehere
fungeret
actedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytooglad
gladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.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,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittle
maskine
machineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereis
absolut
absolutelynothingimpersonal;andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhis
natur
naturestandtoeachother.7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
Iknowofnothingmorestingingthanthe
spøg
jokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,
dog
however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethree
hundrede
hundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!Greecetooka
hundrede
hundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
Forestil
ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:forestil
imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthis
Natur
Nature?Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"living
overensstemmelse
accordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingoverensstemmelse
accordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,
men
however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
InyourprideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsistthatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhave
tvunget
forcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsotillade
allowherselftobetyrannizedover:isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophy
begynder
beginstobelieveinitself.Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdo
andet
otherwise;philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtand
opmærksomhed
attention;andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannot
bestemt
certainlyboastofthesharpestears.Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—a
vis
certainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,
snarere
ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallywearied
sjæl
soul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.Itseems,
men
however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutas
lavt
lowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,tillader
allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoflygte
escape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthetroen
faithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inkort
short,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructedyesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresent
kaster
throwsonthemarket;adisgustofthemorerefined
smag
tasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,undtagen
exceptthismotleyness.Thereinit
synes
seemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
It
synes
seemstomethatthereisoveralt
everywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,andisær
especiallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.Kantwasfirstandforemost
stolt
proudofhisTableofCategories;withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
Hewas
stolt
proudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemande
involveret
involvedinsuchananswer.Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilation
nåede
reacheditsclimaxwhenKantyderligere
furtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwent
straks
immediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthat
uskyldige
innocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanånd
spirit,towhichRomanticism,themaliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeit
alvorligt
seriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnot
snarere
rathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?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.
And
endelig
finally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnotvivl
doubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadadel
shareinit;thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...