PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthis
een
awoman—whatthen?Istherenotgroundforsuspecting
dat
thatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhebben
havebeendogmatists,havefailedtobegrijpen
understandwomen—thattheterribleseriousnessen
andclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhebben
haveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoWaarheid
Truth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinnen
winningawoman?Certainlyshe
heeft
hasneverallowedherselftobewinnen
won;andatpresentevery
soort
kindofdogmastandswithsaden
anddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstaat
standsatall!Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithas
gevallen
fallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymeer
more,thatitisatitslaatste
lastgasp.Buttospeak
serieus
seriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopen
hopingthatalldogmatizinginfilosofie
philosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveen
anddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyeen
anoblepuerilismandtyronism;en
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitzal
willbeonceandagainbegrepen
understoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasis
basisofsuchimposingandabsolute
absolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshebben
havehithertoreared:perhapssome
populair
popularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasde
thesoul-superstition,which,inthevorm
formofsubject-andego-superstition,
heeft
hasnotyetceaseddoingkwaad
mischief):perhapssomeplayuponwords,a
bedrog
deceptiononthepartofgrammatica
grammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofzeer
veryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.De
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasenige
onlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsdaarna
afterwards,aswasastrologyinstillvroegere
earliertimes,intheserviceofwhichwaarschijnlijk
probablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,en
andpatiencehavebeenspentdan
thanonanyactualsciencehitherto:we
danken
owetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaen
andEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitectuur
architecture.Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesuponthe
hart
heartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,alle
allgreatthingshavefirsttodwalen
wanderabouttheearthasenorme
enormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:dogmatic
filosofie
philosophyhasbeenacaricatureofdit
thiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,en
andPlatonisminEurope.Letusnotbe
ondankbaar
ungratefultoit,althoughitmoet
mustcertainlybeconfessedthattheergste
worst,themosttiresome,andthemeest
mostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeeneen
adogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofZuivere
PureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.Maar
Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,wanneer
whenEurope,ridofthisnachtmerrie
nightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyen
andatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,wij
we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofalle
allthestrengthwhichthestrijd
struggleagainstthiserrorhasbevorderd
fostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionof
waarheid
truth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentele
fundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofGeest
SpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofhen
them;indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamalady
aanvallen
attackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?Had
HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhem
him?WasSocratesafterall
een
acorrupterofyouths,andverdiende
deservedhishemlock?"Butthe
strijd
struggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,en
andforthe"people"—thestruggletegen
againsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristendom
Christianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),produceerde
producedinEuropeamagnificentspanning
tensionofsoul,suchashad
hadnotexistedanywherepreviously;met
withsuchatenselystrainedboog
bowonecannowaimatde
thefurthestgoals.Asamatteroffact,
de
theEuropeanfeelsthistensionaseen
astateofdistress,andtwee keer
twiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrote
grandstyletounbendtheboog
bow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,
en
andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocratische
democraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidofvrijheid
libertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,kunnen
might,infact,bringitaboutthatthegeest
spiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!Het
(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittohen
them!buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Maar
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norzelfs
evensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,en
andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehebben
haveitstill,allthedistressofgeest
spiritandallthetensionofitsboog
bow!Andperhapsalsothe
pijl
arrow,theduty,and,whoweet
knows?THEGOALTOAIMAT....
Hoofdstuk
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS1.
De
TheWilltoTruth,whichistoverleiden
temptustomanyagevaarlijke
hazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofdie
whichallphilosophershavehithertogesproken
spokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasdeze
thisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeons
us!Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itis
al
alreadyalongstory;yetit
lijkt
seemsasifitwerenauwelijks
hardlycommenced.Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,
verliezen
losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?Dat
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttovragen
askquestionsourselves?WHOisit
werkelijk
reallythatputsquestionstoushier
here?WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"in
ons
us?Infactwemadea
lang
longhaltatthequestionastode
theoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwekwamen
cametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalvraag
question.Weinquiredaboutthe
Waarde
VALUEofthisWill.Granted
dat
thatwewantthetruth:Waarom
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?And
onzekerheid
uncertainty?Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthe
waarde
valueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwedie
whopresentedourselvesbeforetheprobleem
problem?Whichofusis
de
theOedipushere?WhichtheSphinx?
Itwould
lijkt
seemtobearendezvousofquestionsen
andnotesofinterrogation.And
kunnen
coulditbebelievedthatitatlastlijkt
seemstousasiftheprobleem
problemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,en
andRISKRAISINGit?For
er
thereisriskinraisinghet
it,perhapsthereisnogroter
greaterrisk.2.
"HOWCOULD
iets
anythingoriginateoutofitstegenovergestelde
opposite?Forexample,truthoutoferror?
of
ortheWilltoTruthuit
outofthewilltobedrog
deception?orthegenerousdeed
uit
outofselfishness?orthe
zuivere
puresun-brightvisionofthewiseman
manoutofcovetousness?Suchgenesisis
onmogelijk
impossible;whoeverdreamsofitis
een
afool,nay,worsethaneen
afool;thingsofthehighest
waarde
valuemusthaveadifferentoorsprong
origin,anoriginofTHEIRown—indeze
thistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltrywereld
world,inthisturmoilofdelusionen
andcupidity,theycannothavetheirbron
source.Butratherinthe
schoot
lapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod
God,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirbron
source,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;through
dit
this"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"foriets
somethingthatisintheendplechtig
solemnlychristened"theTruth."The
fundamentele
fundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisHet
THEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.Itneveroccurred
zelfs
eventothewariestofthemtodoubthier
hereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,echter
however,wasmostnecessary);thoughthey
hadden
hadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."Forit
kan
maybedoubted,firstly,whetherantithesesbestaan
existatall;andsecondly,
of
whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofwaarde
valueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirzegel
seal,arenotperhapsmerelyoppervlakkige
superficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingwaarschijnlijk
probablymadefromsomecorner,misschien
perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,tolenen
borrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.In
ondanks
spiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtotheware
true,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itkan
mightbepossiblethatahigheren
andmorefundamentalvalueforleven
lifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewil
willtodelusion,toselfishness,en
andcupidity.Itmightevenbe
mogelijk
possiblethatWHATconstitutesthewaarde
valueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyverwant
related,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilen
andapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingwezen
essentiallyidenticalwiththem.Perhaps!
Maar
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfmet
withsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!Forthatinvestigationone
moet
mustawaittheadventofanieuwe
neworderofphilosophers,suchaszullen
willhaveothertastesandinclinations,theomgekeerde
reverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthegevaarlijke
dangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.En
Andtospeakinallseriousness,Izie
seesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoverschijnen
appear.3.
Havingkepta
scherp
sharpeyeonphilosophers,andhebben
havingreadbetweentheirlineslang
longenough,Inowsaytomyselfdat
thatthegreaterpartofbewuste
consciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,en
anditissoeveninthegeval
caseofphilosophicalthinking;onehas
hier
heretolearnanew,asmen
onelearnedanewaboutheredityen
and"innateness."Aslittleasthe
daad
actofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthehele
wholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,net
justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanybeslissende
decisivesense;thegreaterpartof
het
theconsciousthinkingofafilosoof
philosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,en
andforcedintodefinitechannels.En
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsoevereiniteit
sovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,of
ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthebehoud
maintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,dat
thatthecertainisworthmeer
morethantheuncertain,thatillusie
illusionislessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthebehoud
maintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Veronderstel
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustde
the"measureofthings."4.
De
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:itis
hier
here,perhaps,thatournewtaal
languagesoundsmoststrangely.The
vraag
questionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,misschien
perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamenteel
fundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinionsTe
(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemeest
mostindispensabletous,thatzonder
withoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,zonder
withoutacomparisonofrealitymet
withthepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsolute
absoluteandimmutable,withoutavoortdurende
constantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mens
mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionszou
wouldbearenunciationofleven
life,anegationoflife.TO
Erkennen
RECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;thatis
zeker
certainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofwaarde
valueinadangerousmanner,en
andaphilosophywhichventurestodoen
doso,hastherebyalonegeplaatst
placeditselfbeyondgoodandkwaad
evil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstobe
beschouwd
regardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeatedontdekking
discoveryhowinnocenttheyare—howvaak
oftenandeasilytheymakemistakesen
andlosetheirway,inshort,hoe
howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butdat
thatthereisnotenougheerlijk
honestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraiseeen
aloudandvirtuousoutcrywanneer
whentheproblemoftruthfulnessiszelfs
evenhintedatintheremotestmanner.Theyallposeasthoughtheir
werkelijke
realopinionshadbeendiscovereden
andattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofeen
acold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialecticIn
(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,faireren
andfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,een
aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisalgemeen
generallytheirheart'sdesireabstracteden
andrefined,isdefendedbythemmet
withargumentssoughtoutafterthegebeurtenis
event.Theyarealladvocateswhodonot
willen
wishtoberegardedassuch,algemeen
generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andZeer
VERYfarfromhavingthegeweten
consciencewhichbravelyadmitsthistoitself,zeer
veryfarfromhavingthegoede
goodtasteofthecouragewhichgaat
goessofarastoletdit
thisbeunderstood,perhapstowaarschuwen
warnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulvertrouwen
confidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyof
oude
oldKant,equallystiffandfatsoenlijk
decent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatleiden
lead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonesglimlachen
smile,wewhofindnoklein
smallamusementinspyingoutthesubtiele
subtletricksofoldmoralistsen
andethicalpreachers.Or,still
meer
moreso,thehocus-pocusinwiskundige
mathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozaheeft
has,asitwere,cladhisfilosofie
philosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"tovertalen
translatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintothehart
heartoftheassailantwhoshoulddurven
daretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityen
andvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofeen
asicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithas
geleidelijk
graduallybecomecleartomewhatelke
everygreatphilosophyuptillnu
nowhasconsistedof—namely,thebekentenis
confessionofitsoriginator,andeen
aspeciesofinvoluntaryandonbewuste
unconsciousauto-biography;andmoreoverthatthe
morele
moral(orimmoral)purposeinelke
everyphilosophyhasconstitutedtheware
truevitalgermoutofwhichthehele
entireplanthasalwaysgrown.Inderdaad
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofeen
aphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisaltijd
alwayswell(andwise)toeerst
firstaskoneself:"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Bijgevolg
Accordingly,Idonotbelievedat
thatan"impulsetoknowledge"isde
thefatherofphilosophy;but
dat
thatanotherimpulse,hereaselders
elsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofkennis
knowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)as
een
aninstrument.Butwhoeverconsidersthe
fundamentele
fundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtovaststellen
determininghowfartheymayhebben
havehereactedasINSPIRINGGENIIOf
(orasdemonsandcobolds),zal
willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedfilosofie
philosophyatonetimeoranother,en
andthateachoneofthemwouldhebben
havebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheuiteindelijke
ultimateendofexistenceandthewettige
legitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.For
elke
everyimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.Tobe
zeker
sure,inthecaseofscholars,inthegeval
caseofreallyscientificmen,itkan
maybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;er
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somesoort
kindofsmall,independentclock-work,which,whengoed
wellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytodat
thatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsesneemt
takinganymaterialparttherein.The
werkelijke
actual"interests"ofthescholar,daarom
therefore,aregenerallyinquiteandere
anotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,of
orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;itis,infact,
bijna
almostindifferentatwhatpointofonderzoek
researchhislittlemachineisgeplaatst
placed,andwhetherthehopefuljonge
youngworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,een
amushroomspecialist,orachemicus
chemist;heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecoming
dit
thisorthat.Inthe
filosoof
philosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsoluut
absolutelynothingimpersonal;andaboveall,his
moraal
moralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivegetuigenis
testimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistozeggen
say,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnatuur
naturestandtoeachother.7.
Howmaliciousphilosophers
kunnen
canbe!Iknowof
niets
nothingmorestingingthanthegrap
jokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmaken
makingonPlatoandthePlatonists;he
noemde
calledthemDionysiokolakes.Inits
oorspronkelijke
originalsense,andonthegezicht
faceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesen
andlick-spittles;besidesthis,however,itisas
veel
muchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,er
thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopulaire
popularnameforanactor).En
Andthelatterisreallyde
themalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:hewas
geïrriteerd
annoyedbythegrandiosemanner,de
themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoen
andhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotameester
master!He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,who
zat
satconcealedinhislittletuin
gardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredboeken
books,perhapsoutofrageen
andambitiousenvyofPlato,whoweet
knows!Greecetookahundredyearsto
vinden
findoutwhothegarden-godEpicuruswerkelijk
reallywas.Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Er
Thereisapointinelke
everyphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthefilosoof
philosopherappearsonthescene;of
or,toputitinthewordsofeen
anancientmystery:.Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
Youdesireto
Leven
LIVE"accordingtoNature"?Oh,younobleStoics,what
bedrog
fraudofwords!Imaginetoyourselves
een
abeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyonverschillig
indifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,zonder
withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulen
andbarrenanduncertain:imaginetoyourselves
Onverschilligheid
INDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouleven
liveinaccordancewithsuchonverschilligheid
indifference?Tolive—isnotthat
gewoon
justendeavouringtobeotherwisedan
thanthisNature?Isnot
leven
livingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beingbeperkt
limited,endeavouringtobedifferent?En
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingvolgens
accordingtoNature,"meansactuallythehetzelfde
sameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howkunnen
couldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?Whyshouldyou
maken
makeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,en
andmustbe?Inreality,
echter
however,itisquiteotherwisemet
withyou:whileyoupretendto
leest
readwithrapturethecanonofyourwet
lawinNature,youwantiets
somethingquitethecontrary,youbuitengewone
extraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!Inyour
trots
prideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsen
andidealstoNature,toNatuur
Natureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;youinsist
dat
thatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"en
andwouldlikeeverythingtobegemaakt
madeafteryourownimage,aseen
avast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!Met
Withallyourloveforwaarheid
truth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolang
long,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytozien
seeNatureFALSELY,thatistozeggen
say,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerin staat
abletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownal
all,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehoop
hopethatBECAUSEyouarein staat
abletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturezal
willalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover
over:isnottheStoic
een
aPARTofNature?...But
dit
thisisanoldandeeuwigdurend
everlastingstory:whathappenedinoldtimes
met
withtheStoicsstillhappensvandaag
today,assoonasevereen
aphilosophybeginstobelieveinitself.It
altijd
alwayscreatestheworldinitseigen
ownimage;itcannotdo
anders
otherwise;philosophyisthistyrannical
impuls
impulseitself,themostspiritualWil
WilltoPower,thewillto"creationofde
theworld,"thewilltode
thecausaprima.10.
Theeagerness
en
andsubtlety,Ishouldevenzeggen
saycraftiness,withwhichtheprobleem
problemof"therealandtheschijnbare
apparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEuropa
Europe,furnishesfoodforthoughten
andattention;andhewho
hoort
hearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inde
thebackground,andnothingelse,cannotzeker
certainlyboastofthesharpestears.In
zeldzame
rareandisolatedcases,itkan
mayreallyhavehappenedthatsucheen
aWilltoTruth—acertainextravagante
extravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitie
ambitionoftheforlornhope—hasdeelgenomen
participatedtherein:thatwhichin
de
theendalwaysprefersahandvol
handfulof"certainty"toahele
wholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;er
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofgeweten
conscience,whoprefertoputtheirlaatste
lasttrustinasureniets
nothing,ratherthaninanonzeker
uncertainsomething.ButthatisNihilism,
en
andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedziel
soul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsucheen
avirtuemaydisplay.It
schijnt
seems,however,tobeotherwisewithsterker
strongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarenog steeds
stilleagerforlife.In
dat
thattheysideAGAINSTappearance,en
andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"indat
thattheyrankthecredibilityoftheireigen
ownbodiesaboutaslowasthegeloofwaardigheid
credibilityoftheocularevidencedat
that"theearthstandsstill,"en
andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestbezit
possessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlydan
thaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotwerkelijk
reallytryingtowinbackiets
somethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerbezit
possession,somethingoftheolddomein
domainofthefaithofformertimes,misschien
perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoude
oldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheykunnen
couldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyen
andmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?Er
ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemoderne
modernideasinthismodeofkijken
lookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeengebouwd
constructedyesterdayandtoday;thereis
misschien
perhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyen
andscorn,whichcannolongerverdragen
enduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemeest
mostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentgooit
throwsonthemarket;a
walging
disgustofthemorerefinedsmaak
tasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessen
andpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomer
thereisnothingeithernewof
ortrue,exceptthismotleyness.Thereinit
lijkt
seemstomethatwemoeten
shouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsen
andknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentdag
day;theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfrom
Moderne
MODERNreality,isunrefuted...what
doen
dotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernons
us!ThemainthingaboutthemisNOT
dat
thattheywishtogo"back,"maar
butthattheywishtogetWeg
AWAYtherefrom.AlittleMOREstrength,
swing
swing,courage,andartisticpower,en
andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotterug
back!11.
Itseemstomethat
er
thereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttoleiden
divertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantuitgeoefend
exercisedonGermanphilosophy,andvooral
especiallytoignoreprudentlythewaarde
valuewhichhesetuponhimself.Kantwasfirstandforemost
trots
proudofhisTableofCategories;met
withitinhishandhezei
said:"Thisisthemostdifficult
wat
thingthatcouldeverbeondernomen
undertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."Laten
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!Hewas
trots
proudofhavingDISCOVEREDanieuw
newfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticoordeel
judgmentapriori.Grantingthathe
bedrogen
deceivedhimselfinthismatter;de
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanfilosofie
philosophydependedneverthelessonhistrots
pride,andontheeagerrivalryofde
theyoungergenerationtodiscoverifmogelijk
possiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso."HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kant
vraagt
askshimself—andwhatisreallyhisantwoord
answer?"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—but
helaas
unfortunatelynotinfivewords,maar
butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andmet
withsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityen
andverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherverliest
losessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandebetrokken
involvedinsuchananswer.Mensen
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithvreugde
delightoverthisnewfaculty,en
andthejubilationreacheditshoogtepunt
climaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredeen
amoralfacultyinman—foratdie
thattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginde
the"Politicsofhardfact."Then
kwam
camethehoneymoonofGermanfilosofie
philosophy.AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitution
gingen
wentimmediatelyintothegroves—allzoek
seekingfor"faculties."Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthat
onschuldige
innocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiode
periodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,de
themaliciousfairy,pipedandzong
sang,whenonecouldnotyetonderscheiden
distinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveall
een
afacultyforthe"transcendental";Schellingchristenedit,
intellectuele
intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemeest
mostearnestlongingsofthenature
naturallypious-inclinedGermans.Onecan
doen
donogreaterwrongtothegeheel
wholeofthisexuberantandexcentrieke
eccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingdat
thatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryen
andsenileconceptions),thantonemen
takeitseriously,orevenbehandelen
treatitwithmoralindignation.Genoeg
Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,en
andthedreamvanished.A
tijd
timecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,en
andtheystillrubthemtoday.Mensen
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andeerste
firstandforemost—oldKant."By
bedoeld
meansofameans(faculty)"—hehad
hadsaid,oratleastbedoeld
meanttosay.But,isthat—an
antwoord
answer?Anexplanation?
Orisitnot
eerder
rathermerelyarepetitionofthevraag
question?Howdoesopiuminduce
slaap
sleep?"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"
namelijk
namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesde
thedoctorinMoliere,.But
zulke
suchrepliesbelongtotherijk
realmofcomedy,anditishoog
hightimetoreplacetheKantianvraag
question,"Howaresyntheticjudgmentseen
aPRIORIpossible?"byanother
vraag
question,"Whyisbeliefinzulke
suchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishoog
hightimethatweshouldbegrijpen
understandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobewaar
true,forthesakeofthebehoud
preservationofcreatureslikeourselves;thoughthey
nog steeds
stillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!Of
Or,moreplainlyspoken,andruwweg
roughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorimoeten
shouldnot"bepossible"atall;we
hebben
havenorighttothem;inourmouthstheyare
niets
nothingbutfalsejudgments.Only,of
natuurlijk
course,thebeliefintheirwaarheid
truthisnecessary,asplausiblegeloof
beliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectivekijk
viewoflife.Andfinally,tocalltomind
de
theenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihoop
hopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasuitgeoefend
exercisedthroughoutthewholeofEuropa
Europe,thereisnodoubtthateen
acertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadeen
ashareinit;thankstoGerman
filosofie
philosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,en
andthepoliticalobscurantistsofalle
allnations,tofindantegengif
antidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelasteeuw
centuryintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...