PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thattheterrible
vakavuus
seriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactually
riittänyt
sufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:perhapssomepopular
taikausko
superstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformofsubject-andego-superstition,hasnotyet
lakannut
ceaseddoingmischief):perhapssomeplayuponwords,a
petos
deceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.The
filosofia
philosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologia
astrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andkärsivällisyyttä
patiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:weowetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitecture.
Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirstto
vaeltaa
wanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:dogmatic
filosofia
philosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantaoppi
doctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato's
keksintö
inventionofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreath
vapaasti
freelyandatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?
Hadthe
paha
wickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiastical
sortoa
oppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistedanywherepreviously;withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,the
Eurooppalainen
Europeanfeelsthistensionasastateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!
(TheGermans
keksivät
inventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!buttheyagainmadethingssquare—they
keksivät
inventedprinting.)Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,noreven
riittävän
sufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthetensionofitsbow!Andperhapsalsothe
nuoli
arrow,theduty,and,whoknows?THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichisto
houkuttelee
temptustomanyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardly
alkanut
commenced.Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
And
epävarmuus
uncertainty?Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobea
kohtaaminen
rendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewillto
petoksen
deception?orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferent
alkuperä
origin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.ButratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoning
paljastaa
disclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheend
juhlallisesti
solemnlychristened"theTruth."Thefundamental
uskomus
beliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEUskomus
BELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,
ensinnäkin
firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;and
toiseksi
secondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.In
huolimatta
spiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifeyleensä
generallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemust
odottaa
awaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesinto
huomioon
considerationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"Vastustaa
OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivesense;thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopheris
salaa
secretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainisworthmorethanthe
epävarma
uncertain,thatillusionislessarvokas
valuablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inhuolimatta
spiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusany
vastalause
objectiontoit:itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andweare
pohjimmiltaan
fundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutatunnustamista
recognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepuhtaasti
purelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantväärentämistä
counterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.TO
Tunnustamaan
RECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;thatiscertainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinadangerousmanner,anda
filosofia
philosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandevil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—howoftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.
Theyallposeasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeendiscoveredandattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichis
yleensä
generallytheirheart'sdesireabstractedandrefined,isdefendedbythemwithargumentssoughtoutaftertheevent.Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtoberegardedassuch,
yleensä
generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingtheomatunto
consciencewhichbravelyadmitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegoodtasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,
yhtä
equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"to
kääntämällä
translatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostrikekauhua
terroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreat
filosofia
philosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;andmoreoverthatthe
moraalinen
moral(orimmoral)purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalwaysgrown.Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"What
moraalin
moralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asan
väline
instrument.ButwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
Foreveryimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreallyscientificmen,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,
itsenäinen
independentclock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,therefore,are
yleensä
generallyinquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,ora
kemisti
chemist;heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthe
vapauden
libertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
Andthe
jälkimmäinen
latterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:hewas
ärsytti
annoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetookahundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,what
petos
fraudofwords!ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlessly
välinpitämätön
indifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandhedelmätön
barrenanduncertain:imaginetoyourselves
Välinpitämättömyys
INDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchvälinpitämättömyys
indifference?Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,being
epäoikeudenmukainen
unjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudo
Toisin
DIFFERENTLY?Whyshouldyoumakea
periaate
principleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?Inreality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
Inyourprideyouwishto
määrätä
dictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;youinsistthatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldand
ikuinen
everlastingstory:whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonasevera
filosofia
philosophybeginstobelieveinitself.Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastofthesharpestears.
Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantand
seikkailunhaluinen
adventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersa
kourallinen
handfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsof
omantunnon
conscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsucha
hyve
virtuemaydisplay.Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthefaithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?
ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeen
rakennettu
constructedyesterdayandtoday;thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolonger
kestä
enduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthemarket;a
vastenmielisyyttä
disgustofthemorerefinedtasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,exceptthismotleyness.Thereinitseemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;
theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
ItseemstomethatthereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,andespeciallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.
Kantwasfirstand
ensisijaisesti
foremostproudofhisTableofCategories;withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
HewasproudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapid
kukoistaminen
flourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationtolöytää
discoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso."HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuch
näyttö
displayofGermanprofundityandsanallinen
verbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurther
löytämistä
discoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."Thencamethe
häämatka
honeymoonofGermanphilosophy.AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,the
ilkeä
maliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyeterottaa
distinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.
Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedream
katosi
vanished.Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnotrathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"
nimittäin
namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimeto
korvata
replacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmight
luonnollisesti
naturallybefalsejudgments!Or,moreplainlyspoken,and
karkeasti
roughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,the
usko
beliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausibleusko
beliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.Andfinally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;
thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...