Beyond Good and Evil | Progressive Translation Books for Danish B2 Learners

Beyond Good and Evil | Progressive Translation Books for Danish B2 Learners

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PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thattheterrible
alvor
seriousness
andclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlya
ædel
noble
puerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolute
filosofiske
philosophical
edificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopular
overtro
superstition
ofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformofsubject-
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,a
bedrag
deception
onthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
The
filosofi
philosophy
ofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,and
tålmodighed
patience
havebeenspentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:
weowetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrandstyleof
arkitektur
architecture
.
Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirstto
vandre
wander
abouttheearthas
enorme
enormous
andawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmatic
filosofi
philosophy
hasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—for
eksempel
instance
,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,themost
trættende
tiresome
,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato's
opfindelse
invention
ofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.
Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreath
frit
freely
andatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthis
fejl
error
hasfostered.
Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—the
grundlæggende
fundamental
condition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
indeedonemightask,asa
læge
physician
:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthat
fineste
finest
productofantiquity,Plato?
Hadthe
onde
wicked
Socratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiastical
undertrykkelse
oppression
ofmillenniumsofChristianity(FOR
Kristendommen
CHRISTIANITY
ISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropea
storslået
magnificent
tensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistedanywhere
tidligere
previously
;
withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthis
spænding
tension
asastateof
nød
distress
,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:
oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansof
demokratisk
democratic
enlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!
(TheGermans
opfandt
invented
gunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—they
opfandt
invented
printing.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,noreven
tilstrækkeligt
sufficiently
Germans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthe
nød
distress
ofspiritandallthe
spænding
tension
ofitsbow!
Andperhapsalsothearrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
Kapitel
CHAPTER
I.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichisto
friste
tempt
ustomanya
farlige
hazardous
enterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardly
begyndt
commenced
.
Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoan
absolut
absolute
standstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
We
spurgte
inquired
abouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
And
usikkerhed
uncertainty
?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobea
rendezvous
rendezvous
ofquestionsandnotesof
afhøring
interrogation
.
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutof
fejl
error
?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewillto
bedrag
deception
?
orthegenerousdeedoutof
selviskhed
selfishness
?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,
nej
nay
,worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferent
oprindelse
origin
,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,
forførende
seductive
,illusory,paltryworld,inthis
uro
turmoil
ofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
Butratherinthe
skød
lap
ofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—This
måde
mode
ofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,this
måde
mode
ofvaluationisatthebackofalltheir
logiske
logical
procedure;
throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheend
højtideligt
solemnly
christened"theTruth."
The
grundlæggende
fundamental
beliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemn
løfte
vow
,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;
andsecondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheir
segl
seal
,arenotperhapsmerely
overfladiske
superficial
estimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowan
udtryk
expression
currentamongpainters.
In
trods
spite
ofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmore
grundlæggende
fundamental
valueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewillto
illusion
delusion
,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consists
netop
precisely
intheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentially
identiske
identical
withthem.
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemust
vente
await
theadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.
Andtospeakinall
alvor
seriousness
,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartof
bevidst
conscious
thinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesinto
betragtning
consideration
inthewholeprocessand
fremgangsmåde
procedure
ofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinany
afgørende
decisive
sense;
thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopheris
hemmeligt
secretly
influencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindall
logik
logic
anditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthe
opretholdelsen
maintenance
ofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionislessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,in
trods
spite
oftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonly
overfladiske
superficial
valuations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthe
opretholdelsen
maintenance
ofbeingssuchasourselves.
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusany
indvending
objection
toit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmost
mærkeligt
strangely
.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andweare
grundlæggende
fundamentally
inclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithouta
anerkendelse
recognition
oflogicalfictions,withouta
sammenligning
comparison
ofrealitywiththe
rent
purely
IMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withouta
konstant
constant
counterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TO
Anerkende
RECOGNISE
UNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatiscertainlytoimpugnthe
traditionelle
traditional
ideasofvalueinadangerous
måde
manner
,andaphilosophywhich
vover
ventures
todoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandevil.
5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstobe
betragtet
regarded
half-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeated
opdagelse
discovery
howinnocenttheyare—howoftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,how
barnlige
childish
andchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.
Theyallposeasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeen
opdaget
discovered
andattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudiced
proposition
proposition
,idea,or"suggestion,"whichis
generelt
generally
theirheart'sdesireabstractedandrefined,isdefendedbythemwithargumentssoughtoutaftertheevent.
Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtobe
betragtet
regarded
assuch,generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingtheconsciencewhich
modigt
bravely
admitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegoodtasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendor
fjende
foe
,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.
ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,
lige
equally
stiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(more
korrekt
correctly
mislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthe
subtile
subtle
tricksofoldmoralistsand
etiske
ethical
preachers.
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhis
filosofi
philosophy
inmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"to
oversætte
translate
thetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostrike
terror
terror
atonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocasta
blik
glance
onthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyrecluse
forråder
betray
!
6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreat
filosofi
philosophy
uptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryand
ubevidst
unconscious
auto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthe
moralske
moral
(orimmoral)purposeinevery
filosofi
philosophy
hasconstitutedthetrue
vitale
vital
germoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofa
filosof
philosopher
havebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"What
moral
morality
dothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Derfor
Accordingly
,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanother
impuls
impulse
,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asan
instrument
instrument
.
Butwhoeverconsidersthe
grundlæggende
fundamental
impulsesofmanwithaviewto
afgøre
determining
howfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticed
filosofi
philosophy
atonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfasthe
ultimative
ultimate
endofexistenceandthe
legitime
legitimate
LORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
Forevery
impuls
impulse
isimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreally
videnskabelige
scientific
men,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,
uafhængig
independent
clock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.
The
egentlige
actual
"interests"ofthescholar,therefore,are
generelt
generally
inquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;
itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthe
håbefulde
hopeful
youngworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,ora
kemiker
chemist
;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,his
moral
morality
furnishesadecidedand
afgørende
decisive
testimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
How
ondsindede
malicious
philosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothing
ægte
genuine
aboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
Andthe
sidstnævnte
latter
isreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewas
irriteret
annoyed
bythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutof
vrede
rage
andambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetookahundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointinevery
filosofi
philosophy
atwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,you
ædle
noble
Stoics,whatfraudofwords!
ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeor
overvejelse
consideration
,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfuland
ufrugtbar
barren
anduncertain:
imaginetoyourselves
Ligegyldighed
INDIFFERENCE
asapower—howCOULDyoulivein
overensstemmelse
accordance
withsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,being
uretfærdig
unjust
,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyour
imperativ
imperative
,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudo
Anderledes
DIFFERENTLY
?
Whyshouldyoumakea
princip
principle
outofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethe
modsatte
contrary
,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
Inyourprideyouwishto
diktere
dictate
yourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
you
insisterer
insist
thatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,
evig
eternal
glorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andto
krone
crown
all,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonasevera
filosofi
philosophy
beginstobelieveinitself.
Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannical
impuls
impulse
itself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandthe
tilsyneladende
apparent
world"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannotcertainly
prale
boast
ofthesharpestears.
Inrareand
isolerede
isolated
cases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician's
ambition
ambition
oftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersa
håndfuld
handful
of"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsof
samvittighed
conscience
,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofa
fortvivlet
despairing
,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsucha
dyd
virtue
maydisplay.
Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestill
ivrige efter
eager
forlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthatthey
rangerer
rank
thecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurest
besiddelse
possession
toescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmore
fast
firmly
thaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurer
besiddelse
possession
,somethingoftheold
domæne
domain
ofthefaithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?
ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthis
måde
mode
oflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeen
bygget
constructed
yesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssome
lille
slight
admixtureofsatietyand
foragt
scorn
,whichcannolonger
udholde
endure
theBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemost
varierede
varied
origin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthemarket;
a
afsky
disgust
ofthemorerefinedtasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,exceptthismotleyness.
Thereinitseemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;
their
instinkt
instinct
,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,and
kunstnerisk
artistic
power,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
Itseemstomethatthereiseverywhereanattemptatpresentto
aflede
divert
attentionfromtheactual
indflydelse
influence
whichKantexercisedonGerman
filosofi
philosophy
,andespeciallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.
Kantwasfirstand
fremmest
foremost
proudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
Hewasproudofhaving
Opdaget
DISCOVERED
anewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsynthetic
dom
judgment
apriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
the
udvikling
development
andrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydepended
dog
nevertheless
onhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationto
opdage
discover
ifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbal
blomstrer
flourishes
,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswith
glæde
delight
overthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreachedits
højdepunkt
climax
whenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoral
fakultet
faculty
inman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
Thencamethe
bryllupsrejse
honeymoon
ofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,the
ondsindede
malicious
fairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyet
skelne
distinguish
between"finding"and"inventing"!
Abovealla
fakultet
faculty
forthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectual
intuition
intuition
,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthe
naturligt
naturally
pious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatit
forklædte
disguised
itselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreventreatitwith
moralsk
moral
indignation.
Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedream
forsvandt
vanished
.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
An
forklaring
explanation
?
Orisitnotrather
blot
merely
arepetitionofthequestion?
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"
nemlig
namely
thevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimeto
erstatte
replace
theKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyis
tro
belief
insuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmight
naturligvis
naturally
befalsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,and
groft
roughly
andreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausiblebeliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.
Andfinally,tocalltomindthe
enorme
enormous
influencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;
thankstoGerman
filosofi
philosophy
,itwasadelighttothe
ædle
noble
idlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindan
modgift
antidote
tothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...