PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thatthe
terribile
terribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?Certo
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;andat
attualmente
presenteverykindofdogmastandswithtriste
sadanddiscouragedmien—IF,indeed,itstandsatall!Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeak
seriamente
seriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,inthe
forma
formofsubject-andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyearsafterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,inthe
servizio
serviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,oro
gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspesi
spentthanonanyactualsciencehitherto:we
dobbiamo
owetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrande
grandstyleofarchitecture.It
sembra
seemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,althoughitmust
certamente
certainlybeconfessedthatthepeggiore
worst,themosttiresome,andthemostpericoloso
dangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureSpirito
SpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleast
godere
enjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDovere
DUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakof
Spirito
SpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamalady
attaccare
attackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
ButthestruggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thestruggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexisted
da nessuna parte
anywherepreviously;withsuchatenselystrainedbowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.
Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasa
stato
stateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrande
grandstyletounbendthebow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthe
stampa
pressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespirito
spiritwouldnotsoeasilyfinditselfin"distress"!(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressof
spirito
spiritandallthetensionofitsbow!Andperhapsalsothearrow,the
dovere
duty,and,whoknows?THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwith
rispetto
respect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetit
sembra
seemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.Isitany
stupirsi
wonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?ThatthisSphinx
insegni
teachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
WeinquiredabouttheVALUEofthisWill.
Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruth
presentato
presenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentato
presentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwould
sembra
seemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlast
sembri
seemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?Forthereis
rischio
riskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrischio
risk.2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisis
impossibile
impossible;whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,
peggio
worsethanafool;thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
But
piuttosto
ratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheirsource,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemto
dubitare
doubthereontheverythreshold(wheredubitare
doubt,however,wasmostnecessary);thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybe
dubitare
doubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;andsecondly,
se
whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrentamongpainters.Inspiteofallthevaluewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.
ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthevalueofthosegoodand
rispettate
respectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthe
pericoloso
dangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkeptasharp
occhio
eyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;onehashereto
imparare
learnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."Aslittleastheactofbirthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisive
senso
sense;thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForexample,thatthe
certo
certainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionismeno
lessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Supponendo
Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournew
lingua
languagesoundsmoststrangely.Thequestionis,howfaranopinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioribelong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.
TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASACONDITIONOFLIFE;
thatis
certamente
certainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinapericoloso
dangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfbeyondgoodandmale
evil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—how
spesso
oftenandeasilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inbreve
short,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
gusto
tasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthat
portano
lead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessorridere
smile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematical
forma
form,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethetermfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshouldoserebbe
daretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,andaspeciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;
andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalwaysgrown.
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:
"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
Butwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehere
agito
actedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpraticato
practicedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoofelice
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,almostindifferentatwhatpointofresearchhislittle
macchina
machineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereis
assolutamente
absolutelynothingimpersonal;andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhis
natura
naturestandtoeachother.7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginal
senso
sense,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
cento
hundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthe
scena
scene;or,toputitinthewordsofanancientmystery:.
Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
Imaginetoyourselvesabeinglike
Natura
Nature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthis
Natura
Nature?Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"living
secondo
accordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingsecondo
accordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,
però
however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawin
Natura
Nature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!Inyourprideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealsto
Natura
Nature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;youinsistthatitshallbe
Natura
Nature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytosee
Natura
NatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsopermetterà
allowherselftobetyrannizedover:isnottheStoicaPARTof
Natura
Nature?...Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophy
comincia
beginstobelieveinitself.Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdo
altrimenti
otherwise;philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithat
attualmente
presentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannot
certamente
certainlyboastofthesharpestears.Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—a
certo
certainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,
piuttosto
ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.
It
sembra
seems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,apparently,
permettendo
allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontosfuggire
escape(forwhatdoesoneatattualmente
presentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthefede
faithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inbreve
short,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructed
ieri
yesterdayandtoday;thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismat
attualmente
presentthrowsonthemarket;adisgustofthemorerefined
gusto
tasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,tranne
exceptthismotleyness.Thereinit
sembra
seemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
It
sembra
seemstomethatthereisovunque
everywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,andspecialmente
especiallytoignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.Kantwasfirstandforemost
orgoglioso
proudofhisTableofCategories;withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemost
difficile
difficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
Hewas
orgoglioso
proudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyoungergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso.
"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—butunfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.
Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilation
raggiunse
reacheditsclimaxwhenKantulteriormente
furtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthat
innocente
innocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirito
spirit,towhichRomanticism,themaliciousfairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.
Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnot
piuttosto
rathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimetoreplacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthe
bene
sakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;thoughtheystillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausiblebeliefandocular
prova
evidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.And
infine
finally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnodubbio
doubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelastcenturyintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...