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Beyond Good and Evil | Gradually Hardening German B2

Beyond Good and Evil | Gradually Hardening German B2

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PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thattheterrible
ernsthaftigkeit
seriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!
Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizingin
philosophie
philosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactually
genügt
sufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopular
aberglaube
superstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformofsubject-
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,a
täuschung
deceptiononthepartof
grammatik
grammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
The
philosophie
philosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswas
astrologie
astrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,and
geduld
patiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:
weowetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrandstyleofarchitecture.
Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartof
menschheit
humanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirstto
wandern
wanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmatic
philosophie
philosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—for
beispiel
instance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbe
undankbar
ungratefultoit,althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato's
erfindung
inventionofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.
Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthis
irrtum
errorhasfostered.
Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
indeedonemightask,asa
arzt
physician:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?
Hadthe
böse
wickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiastical
unterdrückung
oppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FOR
Christentum
CHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),
erzeugte
producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistedanywherepreviously;
withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthis
spannung
tensionasastateof
not
distress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthebow:
oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withthe
hilfe
aidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!
(TheGermans
erfunden
inventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—they
erfanden
inventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthe
spannung
tensionofitsbow!
Andperhapsalsothe
pfeil
arrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
Kapitel
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardly
begonnen
commenced.
Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,lose
geduld
patience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
Infactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastothe
ursprung
originofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
We
erkundigt
inquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
And
unsicherheit
uncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobea
rendezvous
rendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutof
irrtum
error?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewillto
täuschung
deception?
orthegenerousdeedoutof
selbstsucht
selfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Such
entstehung
genesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,
nein
nay,worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferent
ursprung
origin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthis
aufruhr
turmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
Butratherinthe
schoß
lapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeof
argumentation
reasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogical
verfahren
procedure;
throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheend
feierlich
solemnlychristened"theTruth."
Thefundamental
glaube
beliefofmetaphysiciansisTHE
Glaube
BELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereonthevery
schwelle
threshold(wheredoubt,however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemn
gelübde
vow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,
erstens
firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;
and
zweitens
secondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheir
siegel
seal,arenotperhapsmerely
oberflächliche
superficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowan
ausdruck
expressioncurrentamongpainters.
In
trotz
spiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewillto
täuschung
delusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consists
genau
preciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeing
im wesentlichen
essentiallyidenticalwiththem.
Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemust
warten
awaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.
Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;
onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessand
verfahren
procedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivesense;
thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopheris
heimlich
secretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindall
logik
logicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,that
illusion
illusionislessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusany
einwand
objectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithouta
anerkennung
recognitionoflogicalfictions,withouta
vergleich
comparisonofrealitywiththe
rein
purelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatiscertainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinadangerousmanner,anda
philosophie
philosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandevil.
5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstobe
betrachtet
regardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeated
entdeckung
discoveryhowinnocenttheyare—howoftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,how
kindisch
childishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraisealoudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessiseven
angedeutet
hintedatintheremotestmanner.
Theyall
stellen
poseasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeendiscoveredandattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(in
gegensatz
contrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisgenerallytheirheart'sdesireabstractedandrefined,isdefendedbythemwithargumentssoughtoutaftertheevent.
Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtobe
angesehen
regardedassuch,generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingthe
gewissen
consciencewhichbravelyadmitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegoodtasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendor
feind
foe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.
The
schauspiel
spectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,
ebenso
equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhis
philosophie
philosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"to
übersetzen
translatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostrike
schrecken
terroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocasta
blick
glanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyrecluse
verrät
betray!
6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreat
philosophie
philosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,the
geständnis
confessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthe
moralische
moral(orimmoral)purposeinevery
philosophie
philosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"What
moral
moralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherof
philosophie
philosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereas
anderswo
elsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asan
instrument
instrument.
ButwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticed
philosophie
philosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendof
existenz
existenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.
Forevery
impuls
impulseisimperious,andasSUCH,attemptstophilosophize.
Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreallyscientificmen,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,
unabhängige
independentclock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.
Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,therefore,aregenerallyinquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolitics;
itis,infact,almost
gleichgültig
indifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoung
arbeiter
workerbecomesagoodphilologist,a
pilz
mushroomspecialist,orachemist;
heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,his
moral
moralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisive
zeugnis
testimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthe
freiheit
libertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
Andthelatterisreallythe
bösartige
malignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiose
weise
manner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittlegardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutof
wut
rageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!
Greecetookahundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointinevery
philosophie
philosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlessly
extravagant
extravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeor
rücksicht
consideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfuland
unfruchtbar
barrenanduncertain:
imaginetoyourselves
Gleichgültigkeit
INDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyoulivein
übereinstimmung
accordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyour
imperativ
imperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudo
Anders
DIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakea
prinzip
principleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethe
kanon
canonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
Inyourprideyouwishto
diktieren
dictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
you
bestehen
insistthatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andto
krönen
crownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonasevera
philosophie
philosophybeginstobelieveinitself.
Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophie
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausa
prima
prima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastofthesharpestears.
Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician's
ehrgeiz
ambitionoftheforlornhope—has
teilgenommen
participatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersa
handvoll
handfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsucha
tugend
virtuemaydisplay.
Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestill
begierig
eagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthe
glaubwürdigkeit
credibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthe
glaubwürdigkeit
credibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurest
besitz
possessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwas
früher
formerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthefaithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?
ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeen
gebaut
constructedyesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssome
leichte
slightadmixtureofsatietyand
verachtung
scorn,whichcannolonger
ertragen
enduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvaried
herkunft
origin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthemarket;
a
ekel
disgustofthemorerefinedtasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,exceptthismotleyness.
Thereinitseemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;
their
instinkt
instinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
Itseemstomethatthereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactual
einfluss
influencewhichKantexercisedonGerman
philosophie
philosophy,andespeciallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.
KantwasfirstandforemostproudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
HewasproudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
the
entwicklung
developmentandrapidflourishingofGerman
philosophie
philosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationto
entdecken
discoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuch
anzeige
displayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswith
freude
delightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreachedits
höhepunkt
climaxwhenKantfurtherdiscovereda
moralische
moralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestill
moralische
moral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
Thencamethe
flitterwochen
honeymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingen
institution
institutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,the
bösartige
maliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyet
unterscheiden
distinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!
Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,
intellektuelle
intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthe
von natur aus
naturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.
Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedream
verschwand
vanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnotrather
nur
merelyarepetitionofthequestion?
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"
nämlich
namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimeto
ersetzen
replacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyis
glaube
beliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthe
erhaltung
preservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,and
grob
roughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,the
glaube
beliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausible
glaube
beliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.
Andfinally,tocalltomindtheenormous
einfluss
influencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;
thankstoGerman
philosophie
philosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindan
gegenmittel
antidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...