PREFACE
SUPPOSINGthatTruthisawoman—whatthen?
Istherenotgroundfor
sospechar
suspectingthatallphilosophers,insofarastheyhavebeendogmatists,havefracasado
failedtounderstandwomen—thattheterribleseriousnessandclumsyimportunitywithwhichtheyhaveusuallypaidtheiraddressestoTruth,havebeenunskilledandunseemlymethodsforwinningawoman?Certainlyshehasneverallowedherselftobewon;
andatpresenteverykindofdogmastandswithsadanddiscouragedmien—IF,
hecho
indeed,itstandsatall!Fortherearescofferswhomaintainthatithasfallen,thatalldogmaliesontheground—naymore,thatitisatitslastgasp.
Buttospeakseriously,therearegoodgroundsforhopingthatalldogmatizinginphilosophy,whateversolemn,whateverconclusiveanddecidedairsithas
asumido
assumed,mayhavebeenonlyanoblepuerilismandtyronism;andprobablythetimeisathandwhenitwillbeonceandagainunderstoodWHAThasactuallysufficedforthebasisofsuchimposingandabsolutephilosophicaledificesasthedogmatistshavehithertoreared:
perhapssome
popular
popularsuperstitionofimmemorialtime(suchasthesoul-superstition,which,intheformofsujeto
subject-andego-superstition,hasnotyetceaseddoingmischief):
perhapssomeplayuponwords,adeceptiononthepartofgrammar,oranaudaciousgeneralizationofveryrestricted,verypersonal,veryhuman—all-too-humanfacts.
Thephilosophyofthedogmatists,itistobehoped,wasonlyapromiseforthousandsofyears
después
afterwards,aswasastrologyinstillearliertimes,intheserviceofwhichprobablymorelabour,gold,acuteness,andpatiencehavebeenspentthanonanyactualciencia
sciencehitherto:weowetoit,andtoits"super-terrestrial"pretensionsinAsiaandEgypt,thegrand
estilo
styleofarchitecture.Itseemsthatinordertoinscribethemselvesupontheheartofhumanitywitheverlastingclaims,allgreatthingshavefirsttowanderabouttheearthasenormousandawe-inspiringcaricatures:
dogmaticphilosophyhasbeenacaricatureofthiskind—forinstance,theVedantadoctrineinAsia,andPlatonisminEurope.
Letusnotbeungratefultoit,
aunque
althoughitmustcertainlybeconfessedthattheworst,themosttiresome,andthemostdangerousoferrorshithertohasbeenadogmatisterror—namely,Plato'sinventionofPuro
PureSpiritandtheGoodinItself.Butnowwhenithasbeensurmounted,whenEurope,ridofthis
pesadilla
nightmare,canagaindrawbreathfreelyandatleastenjoyahealthier—sleep,we,WHOSEDUTYISWAKEFULNESSITSELF,aretheheirsofallthefuerza
strengthwhichthestruggleagainstthiserrorhasfostered.Itamountedtotheveryinversionoftruth,andthedenialofthePERSPECTIVE—thefundamentalcondition—oflife,tospeakofSpiritandtheGoodasPlatospokeofthem;
hecho
indeedonemightask,asaphysician:"Howdidsuchamaladyattackthatfinest
producto
productofantiquity,Plato?HadthewickedSocratesreallycorruptedhim?
WasSocratesafterallacorrupterofyouths,and
merecía
deservedhishemlock?"Butthe
lucha
struggleagainstPlato,or—tospeakplainer,andforthe"people"—thelucha
struggleagainsttheecclesiasticaloppressionofmillenniumsofChristianity(FORCHRISTIANITYISPLATONISMFORTHE"PEOPLE"),producedinEuropeamagnificenttensionofsoul,suchashadnotexistido
existedanywherepreviously;withsuchatenselystrained
arco
bowonecannowaimatthefurthestgoals.Asamatteroffact,theEuropeanfeelsthistensionasastateofdistress,andtwiceattemptshavebeenmadeingrand
estilo
styletounbendthebow:oncebymeansofJesuitism,andthesecondtimebymeansofdemocraticenlightenment—which,withtheaidoflibertyofthepressandnewspaper-reading,might,infact,bringitaboutthatthespiritwouldnotso
fácilmente
easilyfinditselfin"distress"!(TheGermansinventedgunpowder—all
crédito
credittothem!buttheyagainmadethingssquare—theyinventedprinting.)
Butwe,whoareneitherJesuits,nordemocrats,norevensufficientlyGermans,weGOODEUROPEANS,andfree,VERYfreespirits—wehaveitstill,allthedistressofspiritandallthetensionofits
arco
bow!Andperhapsalsothearrow,theduty,and,whoknows?
THEGOALTOAIMAT....
CHAPTERI.PREJUDICESOFPHILOSOPHERS
1.
TheWilltoTruth,whichistotemptustomanyahazardousenterprise,thefamousTruthfulnessofwhichallphilosophershavehithertospokenwithrespect,whatquestionshasthisWilltoTruthnotlaidbeforeus!
Whatstrange,perplexing,questionablequestions!
Itisalreadyalongstory;
yetitseemsasifitwerehardlycommenced.
Isitanywonderifweatlastgrowdistrustful,losepatience,andturnimpatientlyaway?
ThatthisSphinxteachesusatlasttoaskquestionsourselves?
WHOisitreallythatputsquestionstoushere?
WHATreallyisthis"WilltoTruth"inus?
InfactwemadealonghaltatthequestionastotheoriginofthisWill—untilatlastwecametoanabsolutestandstillbeforeayetmorefundamentalquestion.
Weinquiredaboutthe
Valor
VALUEofthisWill.Grantedthatwewantthetruth:
WHYNOTRATHERuntruth?
Anduncertainty?
Evenignorance?
Theproblemofthe
valor
valueoftruthpresenteditselfbeforeus—orwasitwewhopresentedourselvesbeforetheproblem?WhichofusistheOedipushere?
WhichtheSphinx?
Itwouldseemtobearendezvousofquestionsandnotesofinterrogation.
Andcoulditbebelievedthatitatlastseemstousasiftheproblemhadneverbeenpropoundedbefore,asifwewerethefirsttodiscernit,getasightofit,andRISKRAISINGit?
Forthereisriskinraisingit,perhapsthereisnogreaterrisk.
2.
"HOWCOULDanythingoriginateoutofits
opuesto
opposite?Forexample,truthoutoferror?
ortheWilltoTruthoutofthewilltodeception?
orthegenerousdeedoutofselfishness?
orthe
pura
puresun-brightvisionofthesabio
wisemanoutofcovetousness?Suchgenesisisimpossible;
whoeverdreamsofitisafool,nay,worsethanafool;
thingsofthehighest
valor
valuemusthaveadifferentorigin,anoriginofTHEIRown—inthistransitory,seductive,illusory,paltryworld,inthisturmoilofdelusionandcupidity,theycannothavetheirfuente
source.ButratherinthelapofBeing,intheintransitory,intheconcealedGod,inthe'Thing-in-itself—THEREmustbetheir
fuente
source,andnowhereelse!"—Thismodeofreasoningdisclosesthetypicalprejudicebywhichmetaphysiciansofalltimescanbereconocer
recognized,thismodeofvaluationisatthebackofalltheirlogicalprocedure;throughthis"belief"oftheirs,theyexertthemselvesfortheir"knowledge,"forsomethingthatisintheendsolemnlychristened"theTruth."
ThefundamentalbeliefofmetaphysiciansisTHEBELIEFINANTITHESESOFVALUES.
Itneveroccurredeventothewariestofthemtodoubthereontheverythreshold(wheredoubt,however,wasmostnecessary);
thoughtheyhadmadeasolemnvow,"DEOMNIBUSDUBITANDUM."
Foritmaybedoubted,firstly,whetherantitheses
existen
existatall;andsecondly,whetherthepopularvaluationsandantithesesof
valor
valueuponwhichmetaphysicianshavesettheirseal,arenotperhapsmerelysuperficialestimates,merelyprovisionalperspectives,besidesbeingprobablymadefromsomerincón
corner,perhapsfrombelow—"frogperspectives,"asitwere,toborrowanexpressioncorriente
currentamongpainters.Inspiteofallthe
valor
valuewhichmaybelongtothetrue,thepositivo
positive,andtheunselfish,itmightbepossiblethatahigherandmorefundamentalvalor
valueforlifegenerallyshouldbeassignedtopretence,tothewilltodelusion,toselfishness,andcupidity.ItmightevenbepossiblethatWHATconstitutesthe
valor
valueofthosegoodandrespectedthings,consistspreciselyintheirbeinginsidiouslyrelated,knotted,andcrochetedtotheseevilandaparentemente
apparentlyopposedthings—perhapseveninbeingessentiallyidenticalwiththem.Perhaps!
Butwhowishestoconcernhimselfwithsuchdangerous"Perhapses"!
Forthat
investigación
investigationonemustawaittheadventofaneworderofphilosophers,suchaswillhaveothertastesandinclinations,thereverseofthosehithertoprevalent—philosophersofthedangerous"Perhaps"ineverysenseofthetérmino
term.Andtospeakinallseriousness,Iseesuchnewphilosophersbeginningto
aparecer
appear.3.
Havingkepta
agudo
sharpeyeonphilosophers,andhavingreadbetweentheirlineslongenough,Inowsaytomyselfthatthegreaterpartofconsciousthinkingmustbecountedamongtheinstinctivefunctions,anditissoeveninthecaseofphilosophicalthinking;onehasheretolearnanew,asonelearnedanewaboutheredityand"innateness."
Aslittleastheactof
nacimiento
birthcomesintoconsiderationinthewholeproceso
processandprocedureofheredity,justaslittleis"being-conscious"OPPOSEDtotheinstinctiveinanydecisivesense;thegreaterpartoftheconsciousthinkingofaphilosopherissecretlyinfluencedbyhisinstincts,andforcedintodefinitechannels.
Andbehindalllogicanditsseemingsovereigntyof
movimiento
movement,therearevaluations,ortospeakmoreplainly,physiologicaldemands,forthemaintenanceofadefinitemodeoflifeForejemplo
example,thatthecertainisworthmorethantheuncertain,thatillusionislessvaluablethan"truth"suchvaluations,inspiteoftheirregulativeimportanceforUS,mightnotwithstandingbeonlysuperficialvaluations,specialkindsofniaiserie,suchasmaybenecessaryforthemaintenanceofbeingssuchasourselves.Supposing,in
efecto
effect,thatmanisnotjustthe"measureofthings."4.
Thefalsenessofan
opinión
opinionisnotforusanyobjectiontoit:itishere,perhaps,thatournewlanguagesoundsmoststrangely.
Thequestionis,howfaran
opinión
opinionislife-furthering,life-preserving,species-preserving,perhapsspecies-rearing,andwearefundamentallyinclinedtomaintainthatthefalsestopinions(towhichthesyntheticjudgmentsaprioripertenecen
belong),arethemostindispensabletous,thatwithoutarecognitionoflogicalfictions,withoutacomparisonofrealitywiththepurelyIMAGINEDworldoftheabsoluteandimmutable,withoutaconstantcounterfeitingoftheworldbymeansofnumbers,mancouldnotlive—thattherenunciationoffalseopinionswouldbearenunciationoflife,anegationoflife.TORECOGNISEUNTRUTHASA
Condición
CONDITIONOFLIFE;thatiscertainlytoimpugnthetraditionalideasof
valor
valueinadangerousmanner,andaphilosophywhichventurestodoso,hastherebyaloneplaceditselfmás allá
beyondgoodandevil.5.
Thatwhichcausesphilosopherstoberegardedhalf-distrustfullyandhalf-mockingly,isnottheoft-repeateddiscoveryhowinnocenttheyare—howoftenand
fácilmente
easilytheymakemistakesandlosetheirway,inshort,howchildishandchildliketheyare,—butthatthereisnotenoughhonestdealingwiththem,whereastheyallraiseafuerte
loudandvirtuousoutcrywhentheproblemoftruthfulnessisevenhintedatintheremotestmanner.Theyallposeasthoughtheirrealopinionshadbeendiscoveredandattainedthroughtheself-evolvingofacold,
pura
pure,divinelyindifferentdialectic(incontrasttoallsortsofmystics,who,fairerandfoolisher,talkof"inspiration"),whereas,infact,aprejudicedproposition,idea,or"suggestion,"whichisgenerallytheirheart'sdeseo
desireabstractedandrefined,isdefendedbythemwithargumentssoughtoutaftertheevento
event.Theyarealladvocateswhodonotwishtoberegardedassuch,generallyastutedefenders,also,oftheirprejudices,whichtheydub"truths,"—andVERYfarfromhavingtheconsciencewhichbravely
admite
admitsthistoitself,veryfarfromhavingthegoodtasteofthecoraje
couragewhichgoessofarastoletthisbeunderstood,perhapstoadvertir
warnfriendorfoe,orincheerfulconfianza
confidenceandself-ridicule.ThespectacleoftheTartufferyofoldKant,equallystiffand
decente
decent,withwhichheenticesusintothedialecticby-waysthatlead(morecorrectlymislead)tohis"categoricalimperative"—makesusfastidiousonessmile,wewhofindnosmallamusementinespiar
spyingoutthesubtletricksofoldmoralistsandethicalpreachers.Or,stillmoreso,thehocus-pocusinmathematicalform,bymeansofwhichSpinozahas,asitwere,cladhisphilosophyinmailandmask—infact,the"loveofHISwisdom,"totranslatethe
término
termfairlyandsquarely—inordertherebytostriketerroratonceintotheheartoftheassailantwhoshoulddaretocastaglanceonthatinvinciblemaiden,thatPallasAthene:—howmuchofpersonaltimidityandvulnerabilitydoesthismasqueradeofasicklyreclusebetray!6.
Ithasgraduallybecomecleartomewhateverygreatphilosophyuptillnowhasconsistedof—namely,theconfessionofitsoriginator,anda
especie
speciesofinvoluntaryandunconsciousauto-biography;andmoreoverthatthemoral(orimmoral)
propósito
purposeineveryphilosophyhasconstitutedthetruevitalgermoutofwhichtheentireplanta
planthasalwaysgrown.Indeed,tounderstandhowtheabstrusestmetaphysicalassertionsofaphilosopherhavebeen
llegado
arrivedat,itisalwayswell(andwise)tofirstaskoneself:"Whatmoralitydothey(ordoeshe)
apuntan
aimat?"Accordingly,Idonotbelievethatan"impulsetoknowledge"isthefatherofphilosophy;
butthatanotherimpulse,hereaselsewhere,hasonlymadeuseof
conocimiento
knowledge(andmistakenknowledge!)asaninstrument.
Butwhoever
considere
considersthefundamentalimpulsesofmanwithaviewtodetermininghowfartheymayhavehereactedasINSPIRINGGENII(orasdemonsandcobolds),willfindthattheyhaveallpracticedphilosophyatonetimeoranother,andthateachoneofthemwouldhavebeenonlytoogladtolookuponitselfastheultimateendofexistenceandthelegitimateLORDoveralltheotherimpulses.Foreveryimpulseisimperious,andasSUCH,
intenta
attemptstophilosophize.Tobesure,inthecaseofscholars,inthecaseofreallyscientificmen,itmaybeotherwise—"better,"ifyouwill;
theretheremayreallybesuchathingasan"impulsetoknowledge,"somekindofsmall,independentclock-work,which,whenwellwoundup,worksawayindustriouslytothatend,WITHOUTtherestofthescholarlyimpulsestakinganymaterialparttherein.
Theactual"interests"ofthescholar,
por lo tanto
therefore,aregenerallyinquiteanotherdirection—inthefamily,perhaps,orinmoney-making,orinpolítica
politics;itis,infact,almostindifferentatwhatpointof
investigación
researchhislittlemachineisplaced,andwhetherthehopefulyoungworkerbecomesagoodphilologist,amushroomspecialist,orachemist;heisnotCHARACTERISEDbybecomingthisorthat.
Inthephilosopher,onthecontrary,thereisabsolutelynothingimpersonal;
andaboveall,hismoralityfurnishesadecidedanddecisivetestimonyastoWHOHEIS,—thatistosay,inwhatorderthedeepestimpulsesofhisnaturestandtoeachother.
7.
Howmaliciousphilosopherscanbe!
IknowofnothingmorestingingthanthejokeEpicurustookthelibertyofmakingonPlatoandthePlatonists;
hecalledthemDionysiokolakes.
Inits
original
originalsense,andonthefaceofit,thewordsignifies"FlatterersofDionysius"—consequently,tyrants'accessoriesandlick-spittles;besidesthis,however,itisasmuchastosay,"TheyareallACTORS,thereisnothinggenuineaboutthem"(forDionysiokolaxwasa
popular
popularnameforanactor).AndthelatterisreallythemalignantreproachthatEpicuruscastuponPlato:
hewasannoyedbythegrandiosemanner,themiseenscene
estilo
styleofwhichPlatoandhisscholarsweremasters—ofwhichEpicuruswasnotamaster!He,theoldschool-teacherofSamos,whosatconcealedinhislittle
jardín
gardenatAthens,andwrotethreehundredbooks,perhapsoutofrageandambitiousenvyofPlato,whoknows!Greecetookahundredyearstofindoutwhothegarden-godEpicurusreallywas.
Didsheeverfindout?
8.
Thereisapointineveryphilosophyatwhichthe"conviction"ofthephilosopher
aparece
appearsonthescene;or,toputitinthewordsofan
antiguo
ancientmystery:.Adventavitasinus,Pulcheretfortissimus.
9.
You
deseas
desiretoLIVE"accordingtoNature"?Oh,younobleStoics,whatfraudofwords!
ImaginetoyourselvesabeinglikeNature,boundlesslyextravagant,boundlesslyindifferent,without
propósito
purposeorconsideration,withoutpityorjusticia
justice,atoncefruitfulandbarrenanduncertain:imaginetoyourselvesINDIFFERENCEasapower—howCOULDyouliveinaccordancewithsuchindifference?
Tolive—isnotthatjustendeavouringtobeotherwisethanthisNature?
Isnotliving
valorando
valuing,preferring,beingunjust,beinglimited,endeavouringtobedifferent?Andgrantedthatyourimperative,"livingaccordingtoNature,"meansactuallythesameas"livingaccordingtolife"—howcouldyoudoDIFFERENTLY?
Whyshouldyoumakeaprincipleoutofwhatyouyourselvesare,andmustbe?
Inreality,however,itisquiteotherwisewithyou:
whileyou
pretendéis
pretendtoreadwithrapturethecanonofyourlawinNature,youwantsomethingquitethecontrary,youextraordinarystage-playersandself-deluders!Inyour
orgullo
prideyouwishtodictateyourmoralsandidealstoNature,toNatureherself,andtoincorporatethemtherein;youinsistthatitshallbeNature"accordingtotheStoa,"andwouldlikeeverythingtobemadeafteryourown
imagen
image,asavast,eternalglorificationandgeneralismofStoicism!Withallyourlovefortruth,youhaveforcedyourselvessolong,sopersistently,andwithsuchhypnoticrigiditytoseeNatureFALSELY,thatistosay,Stoically,thatyouarenolongerabletoseeitotherwise—andtocrownall,someunfathomablesuperciliousnessgivesyoutheBedlamitehopethatBECAUSEyouareabletotyrannizeoveryourselves—Stoicismisself-tyranny—Naturewillalsoallowherselftobetyrannizedover:
isnottheStoicaPARTofNature?...
Butthisisanoldandeverlastingstory:
whathappenedinoldtimeswiththeStoicsstillhappenstoday,assoonaseveraphilosophybeginstobelieveinitself.
Italways
crea
createstheworldinitsownimagen
image;itcannotdootherwise;
philosophyisthistyrannicalimpulseitself,themostspiritualWilltoPower,thewillto"creationoftheworld,"thewilltothecausaprima.
10.
Theeagernessandsubtlety,Ishouldevensaycraftiness,withwhichtheproblemof"therealandtheapparentworld"isdealtwithatpresentthroughoutEurope,furnishesfoodforthoughtandattention;
andhewhohearsonlya"WilltoTruth"inthe
fondo
background,andnothingelse,cannotcertainlyboastofthesharpestears.Inrareandisolatedcases,itmayreallyhavehappenedthatsuchaWilltoTruth—acertainextravagantandadventurouspluck,ametaphysician'sambitionoftheforlornhope—hasparticipatedtherein:
thatwhichintheendalways
prefiere
prefersahandfulof"certainty"toawholecartloadofbeautifulpossibilities;theremayevenbepuritanicalfanaticsofconscience,who
prefieren
prefertoputtheirlasttrustinasurenothing,ratherthaninanuncertainsomething.ButthatisNihilism,andthesignofadespairing,mortallyweariedsoul,notwithstandingthecourageousbearingsuchavirtuemaydisplay.
Itseems,however,tobeotherwisewithstrongerandlivelierthinkerswhoarestilleagerforlife.
InthattheysideAGAINSTappearance,andspeaksuperciliouslyof"perspective,"inthattheyrankthecredibilityoftheirownbodiesaboutaslowasthecredibilityoftheocularevidencethat"theearthstandsstill,"andthus,
al parecer
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,whichrepelsthemfromMODERNreality,isunrefuted...
whatdotheirretrogradeby-pathsconcernus!
The
principal
mainthingaboutthemisNOTthattheywishtogo"back,"butthattheywishtogetAWAYtherefrom.AlittleMORE
fuerza
strength,swing,courage,andartisticpower,andtheywouldbeOFF—andnotback!11.
Itseemstomethatthereiseverywherean
intento
attemptatpresenttodivertattentionfromtheactualinfluencewhichKantejerció
exercisedonGermanphilosophy,andespeciallytoignorar
ignoreprudentlythevaluewhichhesetuponhimself.KantwasfirstandforemostproudofhisTableofCategories;
withitinhishandhesaid:
"Thisisthemostdifficultthingthatcouldeverbeundertakenonbehalfofmetaphysics."
Letusonlyunderstandthis"couldbe"!
HewasproudofhavingDISCOVEREDanewfacultyinman,thefacultyofsyntheticjudgmentapriori.
Grantingthathedeceivedhimselfinthismatter;
thedevelopmentandrapidflourishingofGermanphilosophydependedneverthelessonhis
orgullo
pride,andontheeagerrivalryofthejoven
youngergenerationtodiscoverifpossiblesomething—atallevents"newfaculties"—ofwhichtobestillprouder!—Butletusreflectforamoment—itishightimetodoso."HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaprioriPOSSIBLE?"
Kantaskshimself—andwhatisreallyhisanswer?
"BYMEANSOFAMEANS(faculty)"—but
desafortunadamente
unfortunatelynotinfivewords,butsocircumstantially,imposingly,andwithsuchdisplayofGermanprofundityandverbalflourishes,thatonealtogetherlosesvista
sightofthecomicalniaiserieallemandeinvolvedinsuchananswer.Peoplewerebesidethemselveswithdelightoverthisnewfaculty,andthejubilationreacheditsclimaxwhenKantfurtherdiscoveredamoralfacultyinman—foratthattimeGermanswerestillmoral,notyetdabblinginthe"Politicsofhardfact."
ThencamethehoneymoonofGermanphilosophy.
AlltheyoungtheologiansoftheTubingeninstitutionwentimmediatelyintothegroves—all
busca
seekingfor"faculties."Andwhatdidtheynotfind—inthat
inocente
innocent,rich,andstillyouthfulperíodo
periodoftheGermanspirit,towhichRomanticism,themalicioushada
fairy,pipedandsang,whenonecouldnotyetdistinguishbetween"finding"and"inventing"!Aboveallafacultyforthe"transcendental";
Schellingchristenedit,intellectualintuition,andtherebygratifiedthemostearnestlongingsofthenaturallypious-inclinedGermans.
Onecandonogreaterwrongtothewholeofthisexuberantandeccentric
movimiento
movement(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,.
Butsuchreplies
pertenecen
belongtotherealmofcomedy,anditishightimetoreplacetheKantianquestion,"HowaresyntheticjudgmentsaPRIORIpossible?"byanotherquestion,"Whyisbeliefinsuchjudgmentsnecessary?"—in
efecto
effect,itishightimethatweshouldunderstandthatsuchjudgmentsmustbebelievedtobetrue,forthesakeofthepreservationofcreatureslikeourselves;thoughtheystillmightnaturallybefalsejudgments!
Or,moreplainlyspoken,androughlyandreadily—syntheticjudgmentsapriorishouldnot"bepossible"atall;
wehavenorighttothem;
inourmouthstheyarenothingbutfalsejudgments.
Only,ofcourse,thebeliefintheirtruthisnecessary,asplausiblebeliefandocularevidencebelongingtotheperspective
visión
viewoflife.Andfinally,tocalltomindtheenormousinfluencewhich"Germanphilosophy"—Ihopeyouunderstanditsrighttoinvertedcommas(goosefeet)?—has
ejercido
exercisedthroughoutthewholeofEurope,thereisnodoubtthatacertainVIRTUSDORMITIVAhadashareinit;thankstoGermanphilosophy,itwasadelighttothenobleidlers,thevirtuous,themystics,theartiste,thethree-fourthsChristians,andthepoliticalobscurantistsofallnations,tofindanantidotetothestilloverwhelmingsensualismwhichoverflowedfromthelast
siglo
centuryintothis,inshort—"sensusassoupire."...