PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundforsuspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefailedtounderstandwomen—thattheterribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?
Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,
resnici
indeed,itstandsatall!Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithasassumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;
andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssomepopularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformofsubject-
andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyears
pozneje
afterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactualznanosti
sciencehitherto:weowetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrand
slog
styleofarchitecture.Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonismin
Evropi
Europe.Letusnotbeungratefultoit,
čeprav
althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthisnightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthestrengthwhichthe
boj
struggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:
"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthatfinestproductofantiquity,Plato?
HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,anddeservedhishemlock?"
Butthe
boj
struggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—theboj
struggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEvropi
Europeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistedanywherepreviously;withsuchatenselystrained
lokom
bowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasastateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrandstyletounbendthe
lok
bow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotso
zlahka
easilyfinditselfin"distress"!(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—allcredittothem!
buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthetensionofitsbow!
Andperhapsalsothearrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwere
komaj
hardlycommenced.Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
Weinquiredaboutthe
Vrednost
VALUEofthisWill.Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthevalueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?
WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofitsopposite?
For
primer
example,truthoutoferror?ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthepuresun-brightvisionofthewisemanoutofcovetousness?
Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighestvaluemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirsource.
ButratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheir
vir
source,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanberecognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,firstly,whetherantithesesexistatall;
andsecondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesofvalueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomecorner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncurrent
med
amongpainters.Inspiteofallthe
vrednost
valuewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvrednost
valueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthe
vrednost
valueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandapparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthatinvestigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseoftheterm.
Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningtoappear.
3.
Havingkepta
ostro
sharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthevečji
greaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactof
rojstva
birthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeprocessandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivesense;the
večji
greaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyofmovement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeFor
primer
example,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionislessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Supposing,ineffect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."
4.
Thefalsenessofanopinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:
itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaran
mnenje
opinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioripripadajo
belong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASA
Pogoj
CONDITIONOFLIFE;thatiscertainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasofvalueinadangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditself
izven
beyondgoodandevil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—howoftenand
zlahka
easilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraiseaglasno
loudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.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,veryfarfromhavingthegoodtasteofthecouragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstowarnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfidenceandself-ridicule.
ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffanddecent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinspyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.
Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyin
mail
mailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatetheizraz
termfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,anda
vrste
speciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)
namen
purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanthasalwaysgrown.Dejansko
Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeenarrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)aimat?"
Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseofknowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)
asaninstrument.
ButwhoeverconsidersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,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,orin
politiki
politics;itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointof
raziskave
researchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Initsoriginalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;
besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasapopularnameforanactor).
AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscenestyleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!
He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittle
vrtu
gardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!Greecetookahundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopherappearsonthescene;
or,toputitinthewordsofan
starodavne
ancientmystery:.Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
YoudesiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?
Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,withoutpurposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjustice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:
imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotlivingvaluing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?
Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
In
resnici
reality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:whileyoupretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!
InyourprideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;
youinsistthatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourownimage,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!
Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophybeginstobelieveinitself.
Italwayscreatestheworldinitsownimage;
itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughout
Evropi
Europe,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthebackground,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastofthesharpestears.
Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalwaysprefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;
theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,whoprefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.
ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.
Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,
očitno
apparently,allowingwithcomplacencytheirsecurestpossessiontoescape(forwhatdoesoneatpresentbelieveinmorefirmlythaninone'sbody?),—whoknowsiftheyarenotreallytryingtowinbacksomethingwhichwasformerlyanevensecurerpossession,somethingoftheolddomainofthefaithofformertimes,perhapsthe"immortalsoul,"perhaps"theoldGod,"inshort,ideasbywhichtheycouldlivebetter,thatistosay,morevigorouslyandmorejoyously,thanby"modernideas"?ThereisDISTRUSTofthesemodernideasinthismodeoflookingatthings,adisbeliefinallthathasbeenconstructedyesterdayandtoday;
thereisperhapssomeslightadmixtureofsatietyandscorn,whichcannolongerenduretheBRIC-A-BRACofideasofthemostvariedorigin,suchasso-calledPositivismatpresentthrowsonthemarket;
adisgustofthemorerefinedtasteatthevillage-fairmotleynessandpatchinessofallthesereality-philosophasters,inwhomthereisnothingeithernewortrue,exceptthismotleyness.
Thereinitseemstomethatweshouldagreewiththoseskepticalanti-realistsandknowledge-microscopistsofthepresentday;
theirinstinct,whichrepelsthemfrom
Sodobne
MODERNreality,isunrefuted...whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
ThemainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.
AlittleMOREstrength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!
11.
ItseemstomethatthereiseverywhereanattemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantexercisedonGermanphilosophy,andespeciallyto
prezreti
ignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.KantwasfirstandforemostproudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
HewasproudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhispride,andontheeagerrivalryoftheyounger
generacije
generationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso."HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—but
žalost
unfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosessightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—allseekingfor"faculties."
Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthatinnocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperiodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,themalicious
vila
fairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandono
večje
greaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentricmovement(whichwasreallyyouthfulness,notwithstandingthatitdisguiseditselfsoboldly,inhoaryandsenileconceptions),thantotakeitseriously,oreventreatitwithmoralindignation.Enough,however—theworldgrewolder,andthedreamvanished.
Atimecamewhenpeoplerubbedtheirforeheads,andtheystillrubthemtoday.
Peoplehadbeendreaming,andfirstandforemost—oldKant.
"Bymeansofameans(faculty)"—hehadsaid,oratleastmeanttosay.
But,isthat—ananswer?
Anexplanation?
Orisitnotrathermerelyarepetitionofthequestion?
Howdoesopiuminducesleep?
"Bymeansofameans(faculty),"namelythevirtusdormitiva,repliesthedoctorinMoliere,.
Butsuchrepliesbelongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimetoreplacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"
byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—ineffect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;
thoughtheystillmightnaturallybe
napačne
falsejudgments!Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausiblebeliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspectiveviewoflife.
Andfinally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—hasexercisedthroughoutthewholeof
Evropi
Europe,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelast
stoletja
centuryintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...