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Beyond Good and Evil | Progressive Dutch B1 Translation Books

Beyond Good and Evil | Progressive Dutch B1 Translation 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
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thattheterribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,
inderdaad
indeed,itstandsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssome
populair
popularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformof
onderwerp
subject-
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyears
daarna
afterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactual
wetenschap
sciencehitherto:
weowetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrand
stijl
styleofarchitecture.
Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonismin
Europa
Europe.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionof
Zuivere
PureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.
Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,when
Europa
Europe,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthe
kracht
strengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.
Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
inderdaad
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthatfinest
product
productofantiquity,Plato?
HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,and
verdiende
deservedhishemlock?"
Butthe
strijd
struggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—the
strijd
struggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedin
Europa
Europeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnot
bestaan
existedanywherepreviously;
withsuchatenselystrained
boog
bowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasastateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrand
stijl
styletounbendthebow:
oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotso
gemakkelijk
easilyfinditselfin"distress"!
(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthetensionofits
boog
bow!
Andperhapsalsothearrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwere
nauwelijks
hardlycommenced.
Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
Weinquiredaboutthe
Waarde
VALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthe
waarde
valueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisno
groter
greaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofits
tegenovergestelde
opposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthe
zuivere
puresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighest
waarde
valuemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheir
bron
source.
ButratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheir
bron
source,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;
throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,firstly,whetherantitheses
bestaan
existatall;
andsecondly,whetherthe
populaire
popularvaluationsandantithesesof
waarde
valueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsome
hoek
corner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,to
lenen
borrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.
Inspiteofallthe
waarde
valuewhichmaybelongtothetrue,the
positieve
positive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamental
waarde
valueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthe
waarde
valueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiously
verwant
related,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseeviland
schijnbaar
apparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.
Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningto
verschijnen
appear.
3.
Havingkepta
scherp
sharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactof
geboorte
birthcomesintoconsiderationinthewhole
proces
processandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivesense;
thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyof
beweging
movement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionislessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonof
werkelijkheid
realitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatiscertainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasof
waarde
valueinadangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditself
voorbij
beyondgoodandevil.
5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhow
onschuldig
innocenttheyare—howoftenand
gemakkelijk
easilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.
Theyallposeasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeendiscoveredandattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,
zuivere
pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisgenerallytheirheart's
verlangen
desireabstractedandrefined,is
verdedigd
defendedbythemwitharguments
gezocht
soughtoutaftertheevent.
Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtoberegardedassuch,generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingtheconsciencewhichbravelyadmitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegoodtasteofthe
moed
couragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapsto
waarschuwen
warnfriendorfoe,orincheerful
vertrouwen
confidenceandself-ridicule.
ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffand
fatsoenlijk
decent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementin
bespioneren
spyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyin
post
mailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethe
term
termfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!
6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)
doel
purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentire
plant
planthasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseof
kennis
knowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
Butwhoever
beschouwen
considersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
Foreveryimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreallyscientificmen,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,independentclock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.
Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,
daarom
therefore,aregenerallyinquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;
itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointof
onderzoek
researchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Inits
oorspronkelijke
originalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasa
populaire
popularnameforanactor).
AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscene
stijl
styleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittle
tuin
gardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetookahundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopher
verschijnt
appearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofan
oud
ancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,without
doel
purposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:
imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotliving
waarderen
valuing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
In
werkelijkheid
reality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,you
buitengewone
extraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
Inyour
trots
prideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsistthatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourown
beeld
image,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophybeginstobelieveinitself.
Italways
creëert
createstheworldinitsown
beeld
image;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughout
Europa
Europe,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthe
achtergrond
background,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastofthesharpestears.
In
zeldzame
rareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.
Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewith
sterker
strongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,
blijkbaar
apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthefaithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?
ThereisDISTRUSTofthese
moderne
modernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructedyesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthemarket;
adisgustofthemorerefinedtasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,exceptthismotleyness.
Thereinitseemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;
theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfrom
Moderne
MODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
The
belangrijkste
mainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,
swing
swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
ItseemstomethatthereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKant
uitgeoefend
exercisedonGermanphilosophy,andespeciallyto
negeren
ignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.
KantwasfirstandforemostproudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
HewasproudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhis
trots
pride,andontheeagerrivalryofthe
jongere
youngergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—but
helaas
unfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherloses
zicht
sightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—all
zoek
seekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthat
onschuldige
innocent,rich,andstillyouthful
periode
periodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,themalicious
fee
fairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!
Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentric
beweging
movement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.
Enough,however—theworldgrew
ouder
older,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnotrathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchreplies
behoren
belongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimetoreplacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmightnaturallybe
valse
falsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbut
valse
falsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausiblebeliefandocularevidence
behoort
belongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.
Andfinally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—has
uitgeoefend
exercisedthroughoutthewholeof
Europa
Europe,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;
thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthe
politieke
politicalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelast
eeuw
centuryintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...