PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thattheterribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhave
yleensä
usuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?Certainlyshehasnever
antanut
allowedherselftobewon;andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeak
vakavasti
seriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformofsubject-
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeen
käytetty
spentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:we
velkaa
owetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitecture.It
näyttää
seemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthatthe
pahin
worst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleast
nauttia
enjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamalady
hyökkäsi
attackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistedanywherepreviously;
withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasastateofdistress,and
kahdesti
twiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!
(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressof
hengen
spiritandallthetensionofitsbow!Andperhapsalsothearrow,the
velvollisuus
duty,and,whoknows?THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,the
kuuluisa
famousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!What
outoja
strange,perplexing,questionablequestions!Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetit
näyttää
seemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinx
opettaa
teachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOT
Mieluummin
RATHERuntruth?Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwould
näyttää
seemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlast
näyttää
seemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisis
mahdotonta
impossible;whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,
pahempi
worsethanafool;thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
But
pikemminkin
ratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemto
epäillyt
doubthereontheverythreshold(whereepäillyt
doubt,however,wasmostnecessary);thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybe
epäillä
doubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;andsecondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.
Inspiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthe
vaarallinen
dangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbe
laskettava
countedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;onehashereto
opittava
learnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."Aslittleasthe
teko
actofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivemielessä
sense;thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,and
pakotettu
forcedintodefinitechannels.Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionis
vähemmän
lessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Oletetaan
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatis
varmasti
certainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinadangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandpahan
evil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—how
usein
oftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.Theyallposeasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeendiscoveredandattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisgenerallytheirheart'sdesireabstractedandrefined,isdefendedbythemwithargumentssoughtoutaftertheevent.
Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtoberegardedassuch,generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingtheconsciencewhichbravelyadmitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegood
maku
tasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthat
johtavat
lead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousoneshymyilemään
smile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematical
muodossa
form,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulduskaltaisi
daretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalways
kasvanut
grown.Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
ButwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoo
iloinen
gladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.Foreveryimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreallyscientificmen,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,independentclock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.
Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,therefore,aregenerallyinquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;
itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
Iknowofnothingmorestingingthanthe
vitsi
jokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetooka
sata
hundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
Imaginetoyourselvesabeinglike
Luonto
Nature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:kuvittele
imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthis
Luonto
Nature?Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,however,itisquite
toisin
otherwisewithyou:whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
InyourprideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsistthatitshallbe
Luonto
Nature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!Withallyourlovefortruth,youhave
olette pakottaneet
forcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoantaa
allowherselftobetyrannizedover:isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophy
alkaa
beginstobelieveinitself.Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdo
toisin
otherwise;philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannot
varmasti
certainlyboastofthesharpestears.Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.
It
näyttää
seems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessionto
paeta
escape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainoftheuskon
faithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructed
eilen
yesterdayandtoday;thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismat
hetkellä
presentthrowsonthemarket;adisgustofthemorerefined
makua
tasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,paitsi
exceptthismotleyness.Thereinitseemstomethatweshould
samaa mieltä
agreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
It
tuntuu
seemstomethatthereiskaikkialla
everywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,andvarsinkin
especiallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.Kantwasfirstandforemost
ylpeä
proudofhisTableofCategories;withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
Hewas
ylpeä
proudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemande
mukana
involvedinsuchananswer.Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilation
saavutti
reacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwent
välittömästi
immediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGerman
hengen
spirit,towhichRomanticism,themaliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeit
vakavasti
seriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnot
pikemminkin
rathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimetoreplacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthis
välttämätöntä
necessary,asplausiblebeliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.And
lopuksi
finally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...