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Beyond Good and Evil | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

Beyond Good and Evil | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

Experience the benefits of this forward-thinking translation strategy that tailors language learning to your specific needs. You have control over the difficulty, which ensures that the content is neither too easy nor overly challenging. This method enhances your ability to understand new words through context, reducing reliance on direct translations. While the translations are subtly obscured to foster learning, you can still look up unclear terms. This balanced approach makes language acquisition smoother and more enjoyable. Delve into these translated literary works and discover the satisfaction of mastering a language through reading.

PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thatthe
terrible
terribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhave
généralement
usuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andat
actuelle
presenteverykindofdogmastandswith
triste
sadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeak
sérieusement
seriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,inthe
forme
formofsubject-
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,inthe
service
serviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:
we
devons
owetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitecture.
It
semble
seemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmust
certainement
certainlybeconfessedthatthe
pire
worst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.
Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleast
profiter
enjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSE
Devoir
DUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.
Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamalady
attaqué
attackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?
HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexisted
nulle part
anywherepreviously;
withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasa
état
stateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:
oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthe
presse
pressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!
(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthetensionofitsbow!
Andperhapsalsothearrow,the
devoir
duty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,the
célèbre
famousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwith
respect
respect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.
Isitany
étonnant
wonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinx
enseigne
teachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOT
Plutôt
RATHERuntruth?
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruth
présenté
presenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewho
présenté
presentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwould
semblerait
seemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlast
semble
seemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,and
Risquer
RISKRAISINGit?
Forthereis
risque
riskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreater
risque
risk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisis
impossible
impossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,
pire
worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
But
plutôt
ratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;
throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,
cependant
however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybe
douter
doubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;
andsecondly,
si
whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.
Inspiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuch
dangereux
dangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthe
dangereux
dangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.
Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophers
commencer
beginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharp
œil
eyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehashereto
apprendre
learnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisive
sens
sense;
thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionis
moins
lessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.
Supposant
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournew
langue
languagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurely
Imaginé
IMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatis
certainement
certainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinadangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodand
mal
evil.
5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—how
souvent
oftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,in
bref
short,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyall
soulèvent
raisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.
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
goût
tasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.
ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthat
mènent
lead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousones
sourire
smile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematical
forme
form,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshould
oserait
daretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!
6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichthe
entière
entireplanthasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
Butwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehere
agir
actedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveall
pratiqué
practicedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
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,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittle
machine
machineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereis
absolument
absolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhis
nature
naturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
Iknowofnothingmorestingingthanthe
blague
jokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginal
sens
sense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,
cependant
however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseen
scène
scenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethree
cents
hundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetooka
cent
hundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthe
scène
scene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
Imaginez
Imaginetoyourselvesabeinglike
Nature
Nature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:
imaginez
imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthis
Nature
Nature?
Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"living
selon
accordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"living
selon
accordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,
cependant
however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawin
Nature
Nature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
Inyourprideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealsto
Nature
Nature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsistthatitshallbe
Nature
Nature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytosee
Nature
NatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalso
laissera
allowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTof
Nature
Nature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophy
commence
beginstobelieveinitself.
Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdo
autrement
otherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannot
certainement
certainlyboastofthesharpestears.
Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,
plutôt
ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallywearied
âme
soul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.
It
semble
seems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutas
bas
lowasthecredibilityoftheocular
preuve
evidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,
permettant
allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthe
foi
faithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"in
bref
short,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?
ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructed
hier
yesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresent
jeté
throwsonthemarket;
adisgustofthemorerefined
goût
tasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,
sauf
exceptthismotleyness.
Thereinit
semble
seemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;
theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
It
semble
seemstomethatthereis
partout
everywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,and
surtout
especiallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.
Kantwasfirstandforemost
fier
proudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemost
difficile
difficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
Hewas
fier
proudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilation
atteint
reacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwent
immédiatement
immediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,
riche
rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,themaliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!
Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreven
traiter
treatitwithmoralindignation.
Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnot
plutôt
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
nécessaire
necessary,asplausiblebeliefandocular
preuve
evidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.
And
enfin
finally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisno
doute
doubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;
thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...