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Beyond Good and Evil | Progressively Translated Dutch A1 Books

Beyond Good and Evil | Progressively Translated Dutch A1 Books

Unlock the potential of this modern translation approach, designed to enhance your language learning experience. By allowing you to choose your difficulty level, it guarantees a personalized challenge that's suited to your progress. This method promotes comprehension by encouraging you to infer the meaning of new words from context, rather than relying heavily on direct translations. Though some translations are obscured to stimulate guessing, it's perfectly fine to consult a dictionary when needed. This technique combines challenge and support, making language learning fun and effective. Explore these translated classics to enjoy literature while advancing your language skills.

PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthis
een
awoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspecting
dat
thatallphilosophers,insofarasthey
hebben
havebeendogmatists,havefailedto
begrijpen
understandwomen—thattheterribleseriousness
en
andclumsyimportunitywithwhichthey
hebben
haveusuallypaidtheiraddressesto
Waarheid
Truth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsfor
winnen
winningawoman?
Certainlyshe
heeft
hasneverallowedherselftobe
winnen
won;
andatpresentevery
soort
kindofdogmastandswithsad
en
anddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,it
staat
standsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithas
gevallen
fallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—nay
meer
more,thatitisatits
laatste
lastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,
er
therearegoodgroundsfor
hopen
hopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusive
en
anddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonly
een
anoblepuerilismandtyronism;
en
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenit
zal
willbeonceandagain
begrepen
understoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisof
zulke
suchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatists
hebben
havehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorial
tijd
time(suchasthesoul-superstition,
die
which,intheformofsubject-
en
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
misschien
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptionon
de
thepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationof
zeer
veryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
De
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,was
enige
onlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,in
de
theserviceofwhichprobably
meer
morelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspent
dan
thanonanyactualsciencehitherto:
weowetoit,
en
andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsia
en
andEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitecture.
Itseems
dat
thatinordertoinscribethemselvesuponthe
hart
heartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,
alle
allgreatthingshavefirsttowander
over
abouttheearthasenormous
en
andawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeen
een
acaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,
en
andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughit
moet
mustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,the
meest
mosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeen
een
adogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureSpirit
en
andtheGoodinItself.
Maar
Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,
wanneer
whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,
kan
canagaindrawbreathfreely
en
andatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,
wij
we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsof
alle
allthestrengthwhichthestruggle
tegen
againstthiserrorhasfostered.
Itamountedtotheveryinversionof
waarheid
truth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—of
leven
life,tospeakofSpirit
en
andtheGoodasPlatospokeof
hen
them;
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattack
dat
thatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?
Had
HadthewickedSocratesreallycorrupted
hem
him?
WasSocratesafterall
een
acorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
Maar
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,
en
andforthe"people"—thestruggle
tegen
againsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEurope
een
amagnificenttensionofsoul,suchas
had
hadnotexistedanywherepreviously;
met
withsuchatenselystrainedbow
men
onecannowaimat
de
thefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,
de
theEuropeanfeelsthistensionas
een
astateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbend
de
thebow:
oncebymeansofJesuitism,
en
andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,
met
withtheaidoflibertyofthepress
en
andnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespirit
zou
wouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!
Het
(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcreditto
hen
them!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Maar
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,nor
zelfs
evensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,
en
andfree,VERYfreespirits—we
hebben
haveitstill,allthedistressofspirit
en
andallthetensionofitsbow!
En
Andperhapsalsothearrow,
de
theduty,and,whoknows?
Het
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
De
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptusto
vele
manyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessof
die
whichallphilosophershavehitherto
gesproken
spokenwithrespect,whatquestionshas
deze
thisWilltoTruthnotlaidbefore
ons
us!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itis
al
alreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.
Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,
verliezen
losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
Dat
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlastto
vragen
askquestionsourselves?
WHOisit
werkelijk
reallythatputsquestionstous
hier
here?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"in
ons
us?
Infactwemadea
lang
longhaltatthequestionasto
de
theoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwe
kwamen
cametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamental
vraag
question.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEof
dit
thisWill.
Grantedthatwe
willen
wantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
En
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
The
probleem
problemofthevalueof
waarheid
truthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwe
die
whopresentedourselvesbeforethe
probleem
problem?
Whichofusis
de
theOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobe
een
arendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.
En
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasifthe
probleem
problemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,
en
andRISKRAISINGit?
For
er
thereisriskinraising
het
it,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOW
Kan
COULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,
waarheid
truthoutoferror?
or
de
theWilltoTruthoutof
de
thewilltodeception?
or
de
thegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
of
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewise
man
manoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoever
droomt
dreamsofitisafool,nay,worse
dan
thanafool;
thingsof
de
thehighestvaluemusthavea
andere
differentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—in
deze
thistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltry
wereld
world,inthisturmoilofdelusion
en
andcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
Maar
ButratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealed
God
God,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,
en
andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;
through
dit
this"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"for
iets
somethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
Het
Thefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansis
Het
THEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurred
zelfs
eventothewariestofthemtodoubt
hier
hereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,however,was
meest
mostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmade
een
asolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Forit
kan
maybedoubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;
en
andsecondly,whetherthepopularvaluations
en
andantithesesofvalueupon
die
whichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenot
misschien
perhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeing
waarschijnlijk
probablymadefromsomecorner,
misschien
perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrow
een
anexpressioncurrentamongpainters.
Inspiteof
alle
allthevaluewhichmaybelongtothe
ware
true,thepositive,andtheunselfish,it
kan
mightbepossiblethatahigher
en
andmorefundamentalvaluefor
leven
lifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothe
wil
willtodelusion,toselfishness,
en
andcupidity.
Itmightevenbe
mogelijk
possiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthose
goede
goodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,
en
andcrochetedtotheseevil
en
andapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.
Misschien
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimself
met
withsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationone
moet
mustawaittheadventofa
nieuwe
neworderofphilosophers,suchas
zullen
willhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"in
elke
everysenseoftheterm.
En
Andtospeakinallseriousness,I
zie
seesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Hebben
Havingkeptasharpeyeonphilosophers,
en
andhavingreadbetweentheirlines
lang
longenough,Inowsaytomyself
dat
thatthegreaterpartofconscious
denken
thinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,
en
anditissoeveninthe
geval
caseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehas
hier
heretolearnanew,as
men
onelearnedanewaboutheredity
en
and"innateness."
Aslittleastheactofbirth
komt
comesintoconsiderationinthe
hele
wholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,
net
justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivesense;
het
thegreaterpartoftheconscious
denken
thinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,
en
andforcedintodefinitechannels.
En
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,
er
therearevaluations,orto
spreken
speakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceof
een
adefinitemodeoflifeForexample,
dat
thatthecertainisworth
meer
morethantheuncertain,thatillusionislessvaluable
dan
than"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.
Supposing,ineffect,
dat
thatmanisnotjust
de
the"measureofthings."
4.
De
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itis
hier
here,perhaps,thatournewlanguage
klinkt
soundsmoststrangely.
Thequestion
is
is,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,
misschien
perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintain
dat
thatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethe
meest
mostindispensabletous,that
zonder
withoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,
zonder
withoutacomparisonofreality
met
withthepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsolute
en
andimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingofthe
wereld
worldbymeansofnumbers,
mens
mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinions
zou
wouldbearenunciationof
leven
life,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHAS
Een
ACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatiscertainlytoimpugn
de
thetraditionalideasofvaluein
een
adangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventuresto
doen
doso,hastherebyalone
geplaatst
placeditselfbeyondgoodandevil.
5.
Dat
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfully
en
andhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscovery
hoe
howinnocenttheyare—howoften
en
andeasilytheymakemistakes
en
andlosetheirway,inshort,
hoe
howchildishandchildliketheyare,—but
dat
thatthereisnotenoughhonest
omgegaan
dealingwiththem,whereastheyallraise
een
aloudandvirtuousoutcry
wanneer
whentheproblemoftruthfulnessis
zelfs
evenhintedatintheremotestmanner.
Theyallposeasthoughtheir
werkelijke
realopinionshadbeendiscovered
en
andattainedthroughtheself-evolvingof
een
acold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic
In
(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairer
en
andfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,
een
aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisgenerallytheirheart'sdesireabstracted
en
andrefined,isdefendedbythem
met
withargumentssoughtoutaftertheevent.
Theyarealladvocateswhodonot
willen
wishtoberegardedassuch,generallyastutedefenders,
ook
also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—and
Zeer
VERYfarfromhavingtheconsciencewhichbravelyadmits
dit
thistoitself,veryfarfrom
hebben
havingthegoodtasteofthecouragewhich
gaat
goessofarastolet
dit
thisbeunderstood,perhapstowarn
vriend
friendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidence
en
andself-ridicule.
ThespectacleoftheTartufferyof
oude
oldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewho
vinden
findnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksof
oude
oldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.
Of
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinoza
heeft
has,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmail
en
andmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethetermfairly
en
andsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintothe
hart
heartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocast
een
aglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidity
en
andvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeof
een
asicklyreclusebetray!
6.
Ithasgradually
geworden
becomecleartomewhat
elke
everygreatphilosophyuptill
nu
nowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,
en
andaspeciesofinvoluntary
en
andunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreover
dat
thatthemoral(orimmoral)purposein
elke
everyphilosophyhasconstitutedthe
ware
truevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplant
heeft
hasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,to
begrijpen
understandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsof
een
aphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itis
altijd
alwayswell(andwise)to
eerst
firstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonot
geloof
believethatan"impulsetoknowledge"is
de
thefatherofphilosophy;
but
dat
thatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,
heeft
hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
as
een
aninstrument.
Butwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesof
mens
manwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymay
hebben
havehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII
Of
(orasdemonsandcobolds),
zal
willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetime
of
oranother,andthateachoneofthemwould
hebben
havebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistence
en
andthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
For
elke
everyimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobe
zeker
sure,inthecaseofscholars,inthe
geval
caseofreallyscientificmen,it
kan
maybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
er
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"some
soort
kindofsmall,independentclock-work,which,when
goed
wellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslyto
dat
thatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulses
neemt
takinganymaterialparttherein.
Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,therefore,aregenerallyin
heel
quiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,
misschien
perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;
itis,infact,
bijna
almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhis
kleine
littlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopeful
jonge
youngworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,
een
amushroomspecialist,orachemist;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecoming
dit
thisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,on
de
thecontrary,thereisabsolutely
niets
nothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishes
een
adecidedanddecisivetestimonyasto
Wie
WHOHEIS,—thatisto
zeggen
say,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnature
staan
standtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosophers
kunnen
canbe!
Iknowof
niets
nothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurus
nam
tookthelibertyofmakingonPlato
en
andthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,
en
andonthefaceofit,the
woord
wordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessories
en
andlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisas
veel
muchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,
er
thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopular
naam
nameforanactor).
And
de
thelatterisreallythemalignantreproach
die
thatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedby
de
thegrandiosemanner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlato
en
andhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnota
meester
master!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,who
zat
satconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,
en
andwrotethreehundredbooks,
misschien
perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,who
weet
knows!
Greecetookahundredyearsto
vinden
findoutwhothegarden-godEpicurus
werkelijk
reallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Er
Thereisapointin
elke
everyphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
of
or,toputitinthewordsof
een
anancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
Youdesireto
Leven
LIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
Imaginetoyourselves
een
abeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,
zonder
withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpity
of
orjustice,atoncefruitful
en
andbarrenanduncertain:
imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEas
een
apower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordance
met
withsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnot
dat
thatjustendeavouringtobeotherwise
dan
thanthisNature?
Isnot
leven
livingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
En
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"
betekent
meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—how
kunnen
couldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyou
maken
makeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,
en
andmustbe?
Inreality,however,itis
heel
quiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendto
leest
readwithrapturethecanonofyour
wet
lawinNature,youwant
iets
somethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-players
en
andself-deluders!
Inyourprideyou
wilt
wishtodictateyourmorals
en
andidealstoNature,toNatureherself,
en
andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsist
dat
thatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"
en
andwouldlikeeverythingtobe
gemaakt
madeafteryourownimage,as
een
avast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Met
Withallyourlovefor
waarheid
truth,youhaveforcedyourselvesso
lang
long,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigidityto
zien
seeNatureFALSELY,thatisto
zeggen
say,Stoically,thatyouarenolonger
in staat
abletoseeitotherwise—andtocrown
al
all,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamite
hoop
hopethatBECAUSEyouare
in staat
abletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Nature
zal
willalsoallowherselftobetyrannized
over
over:
isnottheStoic
een
aPARTofNature?...
But
dit
thisisanoldandeverlasting
verhaal
story:
whathappenedinoldtimes
met
withtheStoicsstillhappens
vandaag
today,assoonasever
een
aphilosophybeginstobelieveinitself.
It
altijd
alwayscreatestheworldinits
eigen
ownimage;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyis
deze
thistyrannicalimpulseitself,the
meest
mostspiritualWilltoPower,
de
thewillto"creationof
de
theworld,"thewillto
de
thecausaprima.
10.
Theeagerness
en
andsubtlety,Ishouldeven
zeggen
saycraftiness,withwhichthe
probleem
problemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishes
voedsel
foodforthoughtandattention;
en
andhewhohearsonly
een
a"WilltoTruth"in
de
thebackground,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastof
de
thesharpestears.
Inrare
en
andisolatedcases,itmay
echt
reallyhavehappenedthatsuch
een
aWilltoTruth—acertainextravagant
en
andadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
dat
thatwhichintheend
altijd
alwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"to
een
awholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
er
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,
die
whoprefertoputtheir
laatste
lasttrustinasure
niets
nothing,ratherthaninanuncertain
iets
something.
ButthatisNihilism,
en
andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuch
een
avirtuemaydisplay.
Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstronger
en
andlivelierthinkerswhoare
nog steeds
stilleagerforlife.
In
dat
thattheysideAGAINSTappearance,
en
andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"in
dat
thattheyrankthecredibilityoftheir
eigen
ownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidence
dat
that"theearthstandsstill,"
en
andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmly
dan
thaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenot
werkelijk
reallytryingtowinback
iets
somethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,
iets
somethingoftheolddomainofthefaithofformertimes,
misschien
perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"the
oude
oldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichthey
kunnen
couldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorously
en
andmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?
Er
ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasin
deze
thismodeoflookingatthings,
een
adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructedyesterday
en
andtoday;
thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatiety
en
andscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthe
meest
mostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthemarket;
een
adisgustofthemorerefinedtasteat
de
thevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessof
al
allthesereality-philosophasters,inwhom
er
thereisnothingeithernew
of
ortrue,exceptthismotleyness.
Thereinitseemstomethatwe
moeten
shouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realists
en
andknowledge-microscopistsofthepresent
dag
day;
theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
what
doen
dotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcern
ons
us!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOT
dat
thattheywishtogo"back,"
maar
butthattheywishtoget
Weg
AWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,
en
andartisticpower,andthey
zouden
wouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
Itseemstomethat
er
thereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,
en
andespeciallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhe
gesteld
setuponhimself.
KantwasfirstandforemostproudofhisTableofCategories;
met
withitinhishandhe
zei
said:
"Thisisthemostdifficult
wat
thingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Laten
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
Hewasproudof
had
havingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyin
mens
man,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgment
een
apriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfin
deze
thismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,
en
andontheeagerrivalryof
de
theyoungergenerationtodiscoverif
mogelijk
possiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kant
vraagt
askshimself—andwhatisreallyhis
antwoord
answer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotin
vijf
fivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,
en
andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundity
en
andverbalflourishes,thatonealtogether
verliest
losessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchan
antwoord
answer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselves
met
withdelightoverthisnewfaculty,
en
andthejubilationreacheditsclimax
toen
whenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—forat
die
thattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblingin
de
the"Politicsofhardfact."
Then
kwam
camethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
Alle
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitution
gingen
wentimmediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
En
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,
en
andstillyouthfulperiodof
de
theGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,
de
themaliciousfairy,pipedand
zong
sang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguish
tussen
between"finding"and"inventing"!
Aboveall
een
afacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,
en
andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Men
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothe
geheel
wholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwas
echt
reallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoary
en
andsenileconceptions),thanto
nemen
takeitseriously,oreventreatit
met
withmoralindignation.
Enough,however—the
wereld
worldgrewolder,andthe
droom
dreamvanished.
Atimecamewhen
mensen
peoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andthey
nog steeds
stillrubthemtoday.
People
hadden
hadbeendreaming,andfirst
en
andforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansof
een
ameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,
of
oratleastmeantto
zeggen
say.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Een
Anexplanation?
Orisitnotrathermerely
een
arepetitionofthequestion?
Hoe
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansof
een
ameans(faculty),"namelythevirtusdormitiva,replies
de
thedoctorinMoliere,.
But
zulke
suchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,
en
anditishightimetoreplacetheKantian
vraag
question,"Howaresyntheticjudgments
een
aPRIORIpossible?"
byanother
vraag
question,"Whyisbeliefin
zulke
suchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itis
hoog
hightimethatweshould
begrijpen
understandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobe
waar
true,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughthey
nog steeds
stillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!
Of
Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughly
en
andreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriori
moeten
shouldnot"bepossible"atall;
we
hebben
havenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyare
niets
nothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,of
natuurlijk
course,thebeliefintheir
waarheid
truthisnecessary,asplausiblebelief
en
andocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewof
leven
life.
Andfinally,tocalltomind
de
theenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—I
hoop
hopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughout
de
thewholeofEurope,thereis
geen
nodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhad
een
ashareinit;
thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,
en
andthepoliticalobscurantistsof
alle
allnations,tofindanantidotetothe
nog steeds
stilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyinto
deze
this,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...