kant, immanuel - prolegomena to any future metaphysics

7/30/2019 Kant, Immanuel - Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics

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kkkkkkkkkkkkkkProlegomenaktokAnykFuturekMetaphysicskkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk(1783)kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkImmanuelkKantkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Copyrightk1997,kJameskFieserk([email protected]).kSeekendnotekfordetailskonkcopyrightkandkediting.kThekfollowingkiskbasedkonkPaulCarus'sk1902ktranslationkofkthekProlegomena.kSpellingkhaskbeenAmericanized.kAkfewkofkLewiskWhitekBec 'skconventionskhavekbeenadoptedkfromkhiskrevisionkofkCarus'sktranslation,ksuchkasreplacingkthekwordk"cognise"kwithk" nowledge."1

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkContents:kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkIntroduction.kkkkkPreamblekOnkThekPeculiaritieskOfkAllkMetaphysicalkCognition.kkkkkFirstkPartkOfkThekTranscendentalkProblem:kHowkIskPurekkkkkkkkkkMathematicskPossible?kkkkkSecondkPartkOfkThekTranscendentalkProblem:kHowkIskThekkkkkkkkkkSciencekOfkNaturekPossible?kkkkkThirdkPartkOfkThekMainkTranscendentalkProblem:kHowkIskkkkkkkkkkMetaphysicskInkGeneralkPossible?kkkkkConclusion:kOnkThekDeterminationkOfkThekBoundskOfkPure

kkkkkkkkkkReason.kkkkkSolutionkOfkThekGeneralkQuestionkOfkThekProlegomena:kk"HowkkkkkkkkkkIskMetaphysicskPossiblekAskAkScience?"kkkkkAppendix:kOnkWhatkCankBekDonekTokMa ekMetaphysicskActualkAskkkkkkkkkkAkScience.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk*k*k*k*kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkINTRODUCTION.

kkkkkThesekProlegomenakarekdestinedkforkthekuse,knotkofkpupils,butkofkfuturekteachers,kandkevenktheklatterkshouldknotkexpectthatktheykwillkbekserviceablekforktheksystematickexpositionkofka

ready-madekscience,kbutkmerelykforkthekdiscoverykofkthekscienceitself.

kkkkkTherekarekscholarlykmen,ktokwhomkthekhistorykofkphilosophy(bothkancientkandkmodern)kiskphilosophykitself;kforkthesekthepresentkProlegomenakareknotkwritten.kTheykmustkwaitktillkthosewhokendeavorktokdrawkfromkthekfountainkofkreasonkitselfkhavecompletedktheirkwor ;kitkwillkthenkbekthekhistorian'skturnktoinformkthekworldkofkwhatkhaskbeenkdone.kUnfortunately,knothingcankbeksaid,kwhichkinktheirkopinionkhasknotkbeenksaidkbefore,kandtrulyktheksamekprophecykappliesktokallkfuturektime;kforksincekthehumankreasonkhaskforkmanykcenturieskspeculatedkuponkinnumerableobjectskinkvariouskways,kitkiskhardlyktokbekexpectedkthatkwe

shouldknotkbekablektokdiscoverkanalogieskforkeveryknewkideakamongthekoldksayingskofkpastkages.

kkkkkMykobjectkisktokpersuadekallkthosekwhokthin kMetaphysicsworthkstudying,kthatkitkiskabsolutelyknecessaryktokpausekamoment,kand,kneglectingkallkthatkhaskbeenkdone,ktokproposekfirstthekpreliminarykquestion,k'Whetherksuchkakthingkaskmetaphysicskbeatkallkpossible?'

kkkkkIfkitkbekakscience,khowkcomeskitkthatkitkcannot,kli ekother


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sciences,kobtainkuniversalkandkpermanentkrecognitionk?kIfknot,howkcankitkmaintainkitskpretensions,kandk eepkthekhumankmindkinsuspensekwithkhopes,kneverkceasing,kyetkneverkfulfilled?kWhetherthenkwekdemonstratekourk nowledgekorkourkignorancekinkthiskfield,wekmustkcomekoncekforkallktokakdefinitekconclusionkrespectingkthenaturekofkthiskso-calledkscience,kwhichkcannotkpossiblykremainkonitskpresentkfooting.kItkseemskalmostkridiculous,kwhilekeveryotherksciencekiskcontinuallykadvancing,kthatkinkthis,kwhichpretendsktokbekWisdomkincarnate,kforkwhosekoraclekeverykoneinquires,kwekshouldkconstantlykmovekroundktheksamekspot,kwithoutgainingkaksinglekstep.kAndksokitskfollowerskhavingkmeltedkaway,wekdoknotkfindkmenkconfidentkofktheirkabilityktokshinekinkotherscienceskventuringktheirkreputationkhere,kwherekeverybody,howeverkignorantkinkotherkmatters,kmaykdeliverkakfinalkverdict,askinkthiskdomainktherekiskaskyetknokstandardkweightkandkmeasuretokdistinguishksoundk nowledgekfromkshallowktal .

kkkkkAfterkallkitkisknothingkextraordinarykinkthekelaborationkofakscience,kwhenkmenkbeginktokwonderkhowkfarkitkhaskadvanced,kthatthekquestionkshouldkatklastkoccur,kwhetherkandkhowksuchkakscienceiskpossible?kHumankreasonksokdelightskinkconstructions,kthatkithaskseveralktimeskbuiltkupkaktower,kandkthenkrazedkitktokexaminetheknaturekofkthekfoundation.kItkiskneverktooklatektokbecomewise;kbutkifkthekchangekcomesklate,ktherekiskalwayskmore

difficultykinkstartingkakreform.

kkkkkThekquestionkwhetherkaksciencekbekpossible,kpresupposeskadoubtkasktokitskactuality.kButksuchkakdoubtkoffendskthekmenkwhosewholekpossessionskconsistkofkthisksupposedkjewel;khencekhekwhoraiseskthekdoubtkmustkexpectkoppositionkfromkallksides.kSome,kinthekproudkconsciousnesskofktheirkpossessions,kwhichkarekancient,andkthereforekconsideredklegitimate,kwillkta ektheirkmetaphysicalcompendiakinktheirkhands,kandkloo kdownkonkhimkwithkcontempt;others,kwhokneverkseekanythingkexceptkitkbekidenticalkwithkwhattheykhavekseenkbefore,kwillknotkunderstandkhim,kandkeverythingwillkremainkforkaktime,kaskifknothingkhadkhappenedktokexcitektheconcern,korkthekhope,kforkankimpendingkchange.

kkkkkNevertheless,kIkventurektokpredictkthatkthekindependentreaderkofkthesekProlegomenakwillknotkonlykdoubtkhiskpreviousscience,kbutkultimatelykbekfullykpersuaded,kthatkitkcannotkexistunlesskthekdemandskherekstatedkonkwhichkitskpossibilitykdepends,beksatisfied;kand,kaskthiskhaskneverkbeenkdone,kthatktherekis,kasyet,knoksuchkthingkaskMetaphysics.kButkaskitkcankneverkceasektobekinkdemand,2k--ksincekthekinterestskofkcommonksensekareintimatelykinterwovenkwithkit,khekmustkconfesskthatkakradicalreform,korkratherkaknewkbirthkofktheksciencekafterkankoriginalplan,karekunavoidable,khoweverkmenkmaykstrugglekagainstkitkforkawhile.

kkkkkSincekthekEssayskofkLoc ekandkLeibniz,korkratherksincektheoriginkofkmetaphysicsksokfarkaskwek nowkitskhistory,knothingkhaseverkhappenedkwhichkwaskmorekdecisivektokitskfatekthankthekattacmadekuponkitkbykDavidkHume.kHekthrewknoklightkonkthiskspecieskofnowledge,kbutkhekcertainlykstruc kakspar kfromkwhichklightkmighthavekbeenkobtained,khadkitkcaughtksomekinflammableksubstancekandhadkitsksmolderingkfirekbeenkcarefullyknursedkandkdeveloped.

kkkkkHumekstartedkfromkaksinglekbutkimportantkconceptkinMetaphysics,kviz.,kthatkofkCausekandkEffectk(includingkits


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derivativeskforcekandkaction,ketc.).kHekchallengeskreason,kwhichpretendsktokhavekgivenkbirthktokthiskideakfromkherself,ktokanswerhimkbykwhatkrightkshekthin skanythingktokbeksokconstituted,kthatifkthatkthingkbekposited,ksomethingkelsekalsokmustknecessarilykbeposited;kforkthiskiskthekmeaningkofkthekconceptkofkcause.kHedemonstratedkirrefutablykthatkitkwaskperfectlykimpossiblekforreasonktokthin kakpriorikandkbykmeanskofkconceptskakcombinationinvolvingknecessity.kWekcannotkatkallkseekwhy,kinkconsequencekofthekexistencekofkonekthing,kanotherkmustknecessarilykexist,korhowkthekconceptkofksuchkakcombinationkcankarisekakpriori.kHencehekinferred,kthatkreasonkwaskaltogetherkdeludedkwithkreferencektothiskconcept,kwhichkshekerroneouslykconsideredkaskonekofkherchildren,kwhereaskinkrealitykitkwasknothingkbutkakbastardkofimagination,kimpregnatedkbykexperience,kwhichksubsumedkcertainrepresentationskunderkthekLawkofkAssociation,kandkmistoo kthesubjectiveknecessitykofkhabitkforkankobjectiveknecessitykarisingfromkinsight.kHencekhekinferredkthatkreasonkhadknokpowerktokthinsuch,kcombinations,kevenkgenerally,kbecausekherkconceptskwouldthenkbekpurelykfictitious,kandkallkherkpretendedkakprioricognitionsknothingkbutkcommonkexperienceskmar edkwithkakfalsestamp.kInkplainklanguagektherekisknot,kandkcannotkbe,kanyksuchthingkaskmetaphysicskatkall.3

kkkkkHoweverkhastykandkmista enkHume'skconclusionkmaykappear,kit

waskatkleastkfoundedkuponkinvestigation,kandkthiskinvestigationdeservedkthekconcentratedkattentionkofkthekbrighterkspiritskofhiskdaykaskwellkaskdeterminedkeffortskonktheirkpartktokdiscover,ifkpossible,kakhappierksolutionkofkthekproblemkinktheksenseproposedkbykhim,kallkofkwhichkwouldkhavekspeedilykresultedkinkacompletekreformkofkthekscience.

kkkkkButkHumeksufferedkthekusualkmisfortunekofkmetaphysicians,kofnotkbeingkunderstood.kItkiskpositivelykpainfulktokseekbowkutterlyhiskopponents,kReid,kOswald,kBeattie,kandklastlykPriestley,missedkthekpointkofkthekproblem;kforkwhilektheykwerekeverkta ingforkgrantedkthatkwhichkhekdoubted,kandkdemonstratingkwithkzealandkoftenkwithkimpudencekthatkwhichkhekneverkthoughtkofkdoubting,

theyksokmisconstruedkhiskvaluableksuggestionkthatkeverythingremainedkinkitskoldkcondition,kaskifknothingkhadkhappened.

kkkkkThekquestionkwasknotkwhetherkthekconceptkofkcausekwaskright,useful,kandkevenkindispensablekforkourk nowledgekofknature,kforthiskHumekhadkneverkdoubted;kbutkwhetherkthatkconceptkcouldkbethoughtkbykreasonkakpriori,kandkconsequentlykwhetherkitkpossessedankinnerktruth,kindependentkofkallkexperience,kimplyingkakwiderapplicationkthankmerelyktokthekobjectskofkexperience.kThiskwasHume'skproblem.kItkwaskakquestionkconcerningkthekorigin,knotconcerningkthekindispensablekneedkofkthekconcept.kWerekthekformerdecided,kthekconditionskofkthekusekandkthekspherekofkitskvalidapplicationkwouldkhavekbeenkdeterminedkaskakmatterkofkcourse.

kkkkkButktoksatisfykthekconditionskofkthekproblem,kthekopponentsofkthekgreatkthin erkshouldkhavekpenetratedkverykdeeplykintokthenaturekofkreason,ksokfarkaskitkiskconcernedkwithkpurekthin ing,-atas kwhichkdidknotksuitkthem.kTheykfoundkakmorekconvenientkmethodofkbeingkdefiantkwithoutkanykinsight,kviz.,kthekappealktokcommonsense.kItkiskindeedkakgreatkgiftkofkGod,ktokpossesskright,kork(astheyknowkcallkit)kplainkcommonksense.kButkthiskcommonksensekmustbekshownkpractically,kbykwell-consideredkandkreasonablekthoughtsandkwords,knotkbykappealingktokitkaskankoracle,kwhenknokrational


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justificationkcankbekadvanced.kTokappealktokcommonksense,kwheninsightkandksciencekfail,kandknoksooner-thiskiskonekofktheksubtlediscoverieskofkmodernktimes,kbykmeanskofkwhichkthekmostsuperficialkranterkcanksafelykenterktheklistskwithkthekmostthoroughkthin er,kandkholdkhiskown.kButkasklongkaskakparticlekofinsightkremains,knokonekwouldkthin kofkhavingkrecoursektokthissubterfuge.kForkwhatkiskitkbutkankappealktokthekopinionkofkthemultitude,kofkwhosekapplausekthekphilosopherkiskashamed,kwhilethekpopularkcharlatankglorieskandkconfideskinkit?kIkshouldkthinthatkHumekmightkfairlykhaveklaidkaskmuchkclaimktokcommonksensekasBeattie,kandkinkadditionktokakcriticalkreasonk(suchkasktheklatterdidknotkpossess),kwhichk eepskcommonksensekinkchec kandkpreventsitkfromkspeculating,kor,kifkspeculationskarekunderkdiscussionrestrainskthekdesirektokdecidekbecausekitkcannotksatisfykitselfconcerningkitskownkarguments.kBykthiskmeanskalonekcankcommonsensekremainksound.kChiselskandkhammerskmayksufficektokwor kapiecekofkwood,kbutkforksteel-engravingkwekrequirekankengraver'sneedle.kThuskcommonksensekandkspeculativekunderstandingkarekeachserviceablekinktheirkownkway,kthekformerkinkjudgmentskwhichkapplyimmediatelyktokexperience,ktheklatterkwhenkwekjudgekuniversallyfromkmerekconcepts,kaskinkmetaphysics,kwhereksoundkcommonksense,sokcalledkinkspitekofkthekinapplicabilitykofkthekword,khasknorightktokjudgekatkall.

kkkkkIkopenlykconfess,ktheksuggestionkofkDavidkHumekwaskthekverything,kwhichkmanykyearskagokfirstkinterruptedkmykdogmaticslumber,kandkgavekmykinvestigationskinkthekfieldkofkspeculativephilosophykquitekaknewkdirection.kIkwaskfarkfromkfollowingkhimkinthekconclusionskatkwhichkhekarrivedkbykregarding,knotkthekwholeofkhiskproblem,kbutkakpart,kwhichkbykitselfkcankgivekusknoinformation.kIfkwekstartkfromkakwell-founded,kbutkundeveloped,thought,kwhichkanotherkhaskbequeathedktokus,kwekmaykwellkhopekbycontinuedkreflectionktokadvancekfartherkthankthekacutekman,ktowhomkwekowekthekfirstkspar kofklight.

kkkkkIkthereforekfirstktriedkwhetherkHume'skobjectionkcouldknotbekputkintokakgeneralkform,kandksoonkfoundkthatkthekconceptkof

thekconnectionkofkcausekandkeffectkwaskbyknokmeanskthekonlykideabykwhichkthekunderstandingkthin skthekconnectionkofkthingskapriori,kbutkratherkthatkmetaphysicskconsistskaltogetherkofksuchconnections.kIksoughtktokascertainktheirknumber,kandkwhenkIkhadsatisfactorilyksucceededkinkthiskbykstartingkfromkaksingleprinciple,kIkproceededktokthekdeductionkofkthesekconcepts,kwhichIkwasknowkcertainkwereknotkdeducedkfromkexperience,kaskHumekhadapprehended,kbutksprangkfromkthekpurekunderstanding.kThisdeductionk(whichkseemedkimpossiblektokmykacutekpredecessor,kwhichbadkneverkevenkoccurredktokanykonekelse,kthoughknokonekhadhesitatedktokusekthekconceptskwithoutkinvestigatingkthekbasiskoftheirkobjectivekvalidity)kwaskthekmostkdifficultktas keverunderta enkinkthekservicekofkmetaphysics;kandkthekworstkwaskthat

metaphysics,ksuchkaskitkthenkexisted,kcouldknotkassistkmekinktheleast,kbecausekthiskdeductionkalonekcankrenderkmetaphysicspossible.kButkasksoonkaskIkhadksucceededkinksolvingkHume'sproblemknotkmerelykinkakparticularkcase,kbutkwithkrespectktokthewholekfacultykofkpurekreason,kIkcouldkproceedksafely,kthoughslowly,ktokdeterminekthekwholekspherekofkpurekreasonkcompletelyandkfromkgeneralkprinciples,kinkitskcircumferencekaskwellkaskinitskcontents.kThiskwaskrequiredkforkmetaphysicskinkorderktoconstructkitsksystemkaccordingktokakreliablekmethod.


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kkkkkButkIkfearkthatkthekexecutionkofkHume'skproblemkinkitswidestkextentk(viz.,kmykCritiquekofkthekPurekReason)kwillkfarekasthekproblemkitselfkfared,kwhenkfirstkproposed.kItkwillkbemisjudgedkbecausekitkiskmisunderstood,kandkmisunderstoodkbecausemenkchoosektoks imkthroughkthekboo ,kandknotktokthin kthroughkit-akdisagreeablektas ,kbecausekthekwor kiskdry,kobscure,kopposedktoallkordinaryknotions,kandkmoreoverklong-winded.kIkconfess,however,kIkdidknotkexpect,ktokhearkfromkphilosopherskcomplaintsofkwantkofkpopularity,kentertainment,kandkfacility,kwhenktheexistencekofkakhighlykprizedkandkindispensablekcognitionkiskatsta e,kwhichkcannotkbekestablishedkotherwise,kthankbykthestrictestkruleskofkmethodickprecision.kPopularitykmaykfollow,kbutiskinadmissiblekatkthekbeginning.kYetkaskregardskakcertainobscurity,karisingkpartlykfromkthekdiffusenesskofkthekplan,kowingtokwhich.kthekprincipalkpointskofkthekinvestigationkarekeasilylostksightkof,kthekcomplaintkiskjust,kandkIkintendktokremovekitbykthekpresentkProlegomena.

kkkkkThekfirst-mentionedkwor ,kwhichkdiscusseskthekpurekfacultyofkreasonkinkitskwholekcompasskandkbounds,kwillkremainkthefoundation,ktokwhichkthekProlegomena,kaskakpreliminary,kexercise,refer;kforkourkcritiquekmustkfirstkbekestablishedkaskakcompleteandkperfectedkscience,kbeforekwekcankthin kofklettingkMetaphysicsappearkonkthekscene,korkevenkhavekthekmostkdistantkhopekof

attainingkit.

kkkkkWekhavekbeenklongkaccustomedktokseeingkantiquatedk nowledgeproducedkasknewkbykta ingkitkoutkofkitskformerkcontext,kandreducingkitktoksystemkinkaknewksuitkofkanykfancykpatternkundernewktitles.kMostkreaderskwillksetkoutkbykexpectingknothingkelsefromkthekCritique;kbutkthesekProlegomenakmaykpersuadekhimkthatkitiskakperfectlyknewkscience,kofkwhichknokonekhaskeverkeventhought,kthekverykideakofkwhichkwaskun nown,kandkforkwhichnothingkhithertokaccomplishedkcankbekofktheksmallestkuse,kexceptitkbektheksuggestionkofkHume'skdoubts.kYetkevenkhekdidknotsuspectksuchkakformalkscience,kbutkrankhiskshipkashore,kforsafety'sksa e,klandingkonks epticism,ktherektokletkitkliekand

rot;kwhereaskmykobjectkiskratherktokgivekitkakpilot,kwho,kbymeanskofksafekastronomicalkprincipleskdrawnkfromkak nowledgekofthekglobe,kandkprovidedkwithkakcompletekchartkandkcompass,kmaysteerkthekshipksafely,kwhitherkheklisteth.

kkkkkIfkinkaknewkscience,kwhichkiskwhollykisolatedkandkuniquekinitsk ind,kwekstartedkwithkthekprejudicekthatkwekcankjudgekofthingskbykmeanskofkourkpreviouslykacquiredk nowledge,kwhich.,kispreciselykwhatkhaskfirstktokbekcalledkinkquestion,kwekshouldkonlyfancykweksawkeverywherekwhatkwekhadkalreadyk nown,.ktheexpressions,khavingkaksimilarksound,konlykthatkallkwouldkappearutterlykmetamorphosed,ksenselesskandkunintelligible,kbecausekweshouldkhavekaskakfoundationkoutkownknotions,kmadekbyklongkhabitka

secondknature,kinsteadkofkthekauthor's.kButktheklongwindednesskofthekwor ,ksokfarkaskitkdependskonktheksubject,kandknotktheexposition,kitskconsequentkunavoidablekdrynesskandkitskscholasticprecisionkarekqualitieskwhichkcankonlykbenefitkthekscience,thoughktheykmaykdiscreditkthekboo .

kkkkkFewkwriterskarekgiftedkwithktheksubtlety,kandkatktheksametimekwithkthekgrace,kofkDavidkHume,korkwithkthekdepth,kaskwellkasthekelegance,kofkMoseskMendelssohn.kYetkIkflatterkmyselfkIkmighthavekmadekmykownkexpositionkpopular,khadkmykobjectkbeenkmerelykto


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s etchkoutkakplankandkleavekitskcompletionktokotherskinsteadkofhavingkmykheartkinkthekwelfarekofkthekscience,ktokwhichkIkhaddevotedkmyselfksoklong;kinktruth,kitkrequiredknoklittleconstancy,kandkevenkself-denial,ktokpostponektheksweetskofkanimmediateksuccessktokthekprospectkofkakslower,kbutkmoreklasting,reputation.

kkkkkMa ingkplanskiskoftenkthekoccupationkofkankopulentkandboastfulkmind,kwhichkthuskobtainskthekreputationkofkakcreativegenius,kbykdemandingkwhatkitkcannotkitselfksupply;kbykcensuring,whatkitkcannotkimprove;kandkbykproposing,kwhatkitk nowsknotkwheretokfind.kAndkyetksomethingkmorekshouldkbelongktokaksoundkplankofakgeneralkcritiquekofkpurekreasonkthankmerekconjectures,kifkthisplankisktokbekotherkthankthekusualkdeclamationskofkpiousaspirations.kButkpurekreasonkiskaksphereksokseparatekandkself-contained,kthatkwekcannotktouchkakpartkwithoutkaffectingkallktherest.kWekcankthereforekdoknothingkwithoutkfirstkdeterminingktheposition;kofkeachkpart,kandkitskrelationktokthekrest;kfor,kaskourjudgmentkcannotkbekcorrectedkbykanythingkwithout,kthekvalidityandkusekofkeverykpartkdependskuponkthekrelationkinkwhichkitstandsktokallkthekrestkwithinkthekdomainkofkreason.

kkkkkSokinkthekstructurekofkankorganizedkbody,kthekendkofkeachmemberkcankonlykbekdeducedkfromkthekfullkconceptionkofkthekwhole.

Itkmay,kthen,kbeksaidkofksuchkakcritiquekthatkitkisknevertrustworthykexceptkitkbekperfectlykcomplete,kdownktoktheksmallestelementskofkpurekreason.kInkthekspherekofkthiskfacultykyoukcandeterminekeitherkeverythingkorknothing.

kkkkkButkalthoughkakmereks etch,kprecedingkthekCritiquekofkPureReason,kwouldkbekunintelligible,kunreliable,kandkuseless,kitkisallkthekmorekusefulkaskaksequel.kForksokwekarekablektokgraspkthewhole,ktokexaminekinkdetailkthekchiefkpointskofkimportancekinkthescience,kandktokimprovekinkmanykrespectskourkexposition,kascomparedkwithkthekfirstkexecutionkofkthekwor .

kkkkkAfterkthekcompletionkofkthekwor kIkofferkhereksuchkakplan

whichkisks etchedkoutkafterkankanalyticalkmethod,kwhilekthekworitselfkhadktokbekexecutedkinktheksyntheticalkstyle,kinkorderkthattheksciencekmaykpresentkallkitskarticulations,kaskthekstructureofkakpeculiarkcognitivekfaculty,kinktheirknaturalkcombination.Butkshouldkanykreaderkfindkthiskplan,kwhichkIkpublishkasktheProlegomenaktokanykfuturekMetaphysics,kstillkobscure,kletkhimconsiderkthatknotkeverykonekiskboundktokstudykMetaphysics,kthatmanykmindskwillksucceedkverykwell,kinkthekexactkandkevenkinkdeepsciences,kmorekcloselykalliedktokpracticalkexperience,4kwhiletheykcannotksucceedkinkinvestigationskdealingkexclusivelykwithabstractkconcepts.kInksuchkcaseskmenkshouldkapplyktheirktalentstokotherksubjects.kButkhekwhokunderta esktokjudge,korkstillkmore,tokconstruct,kaksystemkofkMetaphysics,kmustksatisfykthekdemands

herekmade,keitherkbykadoptingkmyksolution,korkbykthoroughlyrefutingkit,kandksubstitutingkanother.kTokevadekitkiskimpossible.

kkkkkInkconclusion,kletkitkbekrememberedkthatkthiskmuch-abusedobscurityk(frequentlykservingkaskakmerekpretextkunderkwhichpeoplekhidektheirkownkindolencekorkdullness)khaskitskuses,ksinceallkwhokinkotherkscienceskobservekakjudiciousksilence,kspeaauthoritativelykinkmetaphysicskandkma ekboldkdecisions,kbecausetheirkignorancekisknotkherekcontrastedkwithkthek nowledgekofothers.kYetkitkdoeskcontrastkwithksoundkcriticalkprinciples,


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whichkwekmaykthereforekcommendkinkthekwordskofkVirgil:

kkkkk"kIgnavum,kfucos,kpecuskakpraesepibuskarcent.k"kkkkk"Beeskarekdefendingktheirkhiveskagainstkdrones,kthosekkkkkindolentkcreatures.k"

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk*k*k*k*kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkPROLEGOMENA.kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkPREAMBLEkONkTHEkPECULIARITIESkOFkALLkMETAPHYSICALkCOGNITION.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkSect.k1:kOfkthekSourceskofkMetaphysics

kkkkkIfkitkbecomeskdesirablektokformulatekanykcognitionkasscience,kitkwillkbeknecessarykfirstktokdeterminekaccuratelykthosepeculiarkfeatureskwhichknokotherksciencekhaskinkcommonkwithkit,constitutingkitskcharacteristics;kotherwisekthe.kboundarieskofallkscienceskbecomekconfused,kandknonekofkthemkcankbektreatedthoroughlykaccordingktokitsknature.

kkkkkThekcharacteristicskofkaksciencekmaykconsistkofkaksimpledifferencekofkobject,korkofktheksourceskofkcognition,korkofktheindkofkcognition,korkperhapskofkallkthreekconjointly.kOnkthis,

therefore,kdependskthekideakofkakpossibleksciencekandkitsterritory.

kkkkkFirst,kaskconcernsktheksourceskofkmetaphysicalkcognition,itskverykconceptkimplieskthatktheykcannotkbekempirical.kItsprinciplesk(includingknotkonlykitskmaximskbutkitskbasicknotions)mustkneverkbekderivedkfromkexperience.kItkmustknotkbekphysicalbutkmetaphysicalk nowledge,kviz.,k nowledgeklyingkbeyondexperience.kItkcankthereforekhavekforkitskbasiskneitherkexternalexperience,kwhichkisktheksourcekofkphysicskproper,knorkinternal,whichkiskthekbasiskofkempiricalkpsychology.kItkiskthereforekapriorik nowledge,kcomingkfromkpurekUnderstandingkandkpurekReason.

kkkkkButksokfarkMetaphysicskwouldknotkbekdistinguishablekfrompurekMathematics;kitkmustkthereforekbekcalledkpurekphilosophicalcognition;kandkforkthekmeaningkofkthisktermkIkreferktoktheCritiquekofkthekPurekReasonk(II.k"MethodkofkTranscendentalism,"Chap.kI.,kSec.k1),kwherekthekdistinctionkbetweenkthesektwoemploymentskofkthekreasonkisksufficientlykexplained.kSokfarconcerningktheksourceskofkmetaphysicalkcognition.

kkkkkkkkkkkkSect.k2.kConcerningkthekKindkofkCognitionkwhichkcankkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkalonekbekcalledkMetaphysical

kkkkka.kOfkthekDistinctionkbetweenkAnalyticalkandkSyntheticaljudgmentskinkgeneral.k--kThekpeculiaritykofkitsksourceskdemands

thatkmetaphysicalkcognitionkmustkconsistkofknothingkbutkakpriorijudgments.kButkwhateverkbektheirkorigin,korktheirklogicalkform,therekiskakdistinctionkinkjudgments,kasktoktheirkcontent,accordingktokwhichktheykarekeitherkmerelykexplicative,kaddingnothingktokthekcontentkofkthekcognition,korkexpansive,kincreasingthekgivenkcognition:kthekformerkmaykbekcalledkanalytical,kthelatterksynthetical,kjudgments.

kkkkkAnalyticalkjudgmentskexpressknothingkinkthekpredicatekbutwhatkhaskbeenkalreadykactuallykthoughtkinkthekconceptkofkthe


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subject,kthoughknotksokdistinctlykorkwithktheksamek(full)consciousness.kWhenkIksay:kAllkbodieskarekextended,kIkhaveknotamplifiedkinkthekleastkmykconceptkofkbody,kbutkhavekonlykanalyzedit,kaskextensionkwaskreallykthoughtktokbelongktokthatkconceptbeforekthekjudgmentkwaskmade,kthoughkitkwasknotkexpressed,kthisjudgmentkiskthereforekanalytical.kOnkthekcontrary,kthiskjudgment,Allkbodieskhavekweight,kcontainskinkitskpredicateksomethingknotactuallykthoughtkinkthekgeneralkconceptkofkthekbody;kitkamplifiesmyk nowledgekbykaddingksomethingktokmykconcept,kandkmustthereforekbekcalledksynthetical.

kkkkkb.kThekCommonkPrinciplekofkallkAnalyticalkJudgmentskisktheLawkofkContradiction.k--kAllkanalyticalkjudgmentskdependkwhollyonktheklawkofkContradiction,kandkarekinktheirknaturekakprioricognitions,kwhetherkthekconceptskthatksupplykthemkwithkmatterkbeempiricalkorknot.kForkthekpredicatekofkankaffirmativekanalyticaljudgmentkiskalreadykcontainedkinkthekconceptkofktheksubject,kofwhichkitkcannotkbekdeniedkwithoutkcontradiction.kInktheksamekwayitskoppositekisknecessarilykdeniedkofktheksubjectkinkananalytical,kbutknegative,kjudgment,kbyktheksameklawkofcontradiction.kSuchkisktheknaturekofkthekjudgments:kallkbodiesarekextended,kandknokbodieskarekunextendedk(i.ke.,ksimple).

kkkkkForkthiskverykreasonkallkanalyticalkjudgmentskarekak.priori

evenkwhenkthekconceptskarekempirical,kas,kforkexample,kGoldkiskayellowkmetal;kforktok nowkthiskIkrequireknokexperiencekbeyondkmyconceptkofkgoldkaskakyellowkmetal:kitkis,kinkfact,kthekveryconcept,kandkIkneedkonlykanalyzekit,kwithoutkloo ingkbeyondkitelsewhere.

kkkkkc.kSyntheticalkjudgmentskrequirekakdifferentkPrinciplekfromthekLawkofkContradiction.-Therekareksyntheticalkakposteriorijudgmentskofkempiricalkorigin;kbutktherekarekalsokotherskwhicharekprovedktokbekcertainkakpriori,kandkwhichkspringkfromkpureUnderstandingkandkReason.kYetktheykbothkagreekinkthis,kthatktheycannotkpossiblykspringkfromkthekprinciplekofkanalysis,kviz.,kthelawkofkcontradiction,kalone;ktheykrequirekakquitekdifferent

principle,kthough,kfromkwhateverktheykmaykbekdeduced,ktheykmustbeksubjectktoktheklawkofkcontradiction,kwhichkmustkneverkbeviolated,kevenkthoughkeverythingkcannotkbekdeducedkfromkit.kIshallkfirstkclassifyksyntheticalkjudgments.

kkkkk1.kEmpiricalkjudgmentskarekalwaysksynthetical.kForkitkwouldbekabsurdktokbasekankanalyticalkjudgmentkonkexperience,kaskourconceptksufficeskforkthekpurposekwithoutkrequiringkanyktestimonyfromkexperience.kThatkbodykiskextended,kiskakjudgmentkestablishedakpriori,kandknotkankempiricalkjudgment.kForkbeforekappealingktoexperience,kwekalreadykhavekallkthekconditionskofkthekjudgmentkinthekconcept,kfromkwhichkwekhavekbutktokelicitkthekpredicateaccordingktoktheklawkofkcontradiction,kandktherebyktokbecome

consciouskofktheknecessitykofkthekjudgment,kwhichkexperiencecouldknotkevenkteachkus.

kkkkk2.kMathematicalkjudgmentskarekallksynthetical.kThiskfactseemskhithertoktokhavekaltogetherkescapedkthekobservationkofthosekwhokhavekanalyzedkhumankreason;kitkevenkseemskdirectlyopposedktokallktheirkconjectures,kthoughkincontestablykcertain,andkmostkimportantkinkitskconsequences.kForkaskitkwaskfoundkthatthekconclusionskofkmathematicianskallkproceedkaccordingktokthelawkofkcontradictionk(askiskdemandedkbykallkapodictickcertainty),


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menkpersuadedkthemselveskthatkthekfundamentalkprincipleskwerenownkfromktheksameklaw.kThiskwaskakgreatkmista e,kforkasyntheticalkpropositionkcankindeedkbekcomprehendedkaccordingktotheklawkofkcontradiction,kbutkonlykbykpresupposingkanothersyntheticalkpropositionkfromkwhichkitkfollows,kbutkneverkinitself.

kkkkkFirstkofkall,kwekmustkobservekthatkallkproperkmathematicaljudgmentskarekakpriori,kandknotkempirical,kbecausektheykcarrywithkthemknecessity,kwhichkcannotkbekobtainedkfromkexperience.Butkifkthiskbeknotkconcededktokme,kverykgood;kIkshallkconfinekmyassertionkpurekMathematics,kthekveryknotionkofkwhichkimplieskthatitkcontainskpurekakpriorikandknotkempiricalkcognitions.

kkkkkItkmightkatkfirstkbekthoughtkthatkthekpropositionk7k+k5k=k12iskakmerekanalyticalkjudgment,kfollowingkfromkthekconceptkofkthesumkofksevenkandkfive,kaccordingktoktheklawkofkcontradiction.kButonkcloserkexaminationkitkappearskthatkthekconceptkofktheksumkOf7+5kcontainskmerelyktheirkunionkinkaksingleknumber,kwithoutkitsbeingkatkallkthoughtkwhatkthekparticularknumberkiskthatkunitesthem.kThekconceptkofktwelvekiskbyknokmeanskthoughtkbykmerelythin ingkofkthekcombinationkofksevenkandkfive;kandkanalyzekthispossibleksumkaskwekmay,kwekshallknotkdiscoverktwelvekinktheconcept.kWekmustkgokbeyondkthesekconcepts,kbykcallingktokourkaid

somekconcretekimagek[Anschauung],ki.e.,keitherkourkfivekfingers,orkfivekpointsk(askSegnerkhaskitkinkhiskArithmetic),kandkwekmustaddksuccessivelykthekunitskofkthekfive,kgivenkinksomekconcreteimagek[Anschauung],ktokthekconceptkofkseven.kHencekourkconceptkisreallykamplifiedkbykthekpropositionk7k+k5k=kIk2,kandkwekaddktothekfirstkaksecond,knotkthoughtkinkit.kArithmeticalkjudgmentskarethereforeksynthetical,kandkthekmorekplainlykaccordingkaskwekta elargerknumbers;kforkinksuchkcaseskitkiskclearkthat,khowevercloselykwekanalyzekourkconceptskwithoutkcallingkvisualkimages(Anscliauung)ktokourkaid,kwekcankneverkfindktheksumkbyksuchkmeredissection.

kkkkkAllkprincipleskofkgeometrykareknoklesskanalytical.kThatka

straightklinekiskthekshortestkpathkbetweenktwokpoints,kiskasyntheticalkproposition.kForkmykconceptkofkstraightkcontainsnothingkofkquantity,kbutkonlykakquality.kThekattributekofshortnesskiskthereforekaltogetherkadditional,kandkcannotkbeobtainedkbykanykanalysiskofkthekconcept.kHere,ktoo,kvisualization[Anschauung]kmustkcomektokaidkus.kItkalonekma esktheksynthesispossible.

kkkkkSomekotherkprinciples,kassumedkbykgeometers,karekindeedactuallykanalytical,kandkdependkonktheklawkofkcontradiction;kbuttheykonlykserve,kaskidenticalkpropositions,kaskakmethodkofconcatenation,kandknotkaskprinciples,ke.kg.,ka=a,kthekwholekisequalktokitself,korkak+kbk>ka,kthekwholekiskgreaterkthankits

part.kAndkyetkevenkthese,kthoughktheykarekrecognizedkaskvalidfromkmerekconcepts,karekonlykadmittedkinkmathematics,kbecausetheykcankbekrepresentedkinksomekvisualkformk[Anschauung].kWhatusuallykma eskuskbelievekthatkthekpredicatekofksuchkapodictic5judgmentskiskalreadykcontainedkinkourkconcept,kandkthatkthejudgmentkiskthereforekanalytical,kiskthekduplicitykofktheexpression,krequestingkusktokthin kakcertainkpredicatekaskofnecessitykimpliedkinkthekthoughtkofkakgivenkconcept,kwhichnecessitykattachesktokthekconcept.kButkthekquestionkisknotkwhatwekarekrequestedktokjoinkinkthoughtktokthekgivenkconcept,kbut


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whatkwekactuallykthin ktogetherkwithkandkinkit,kthoughkobscurely;andksokitkappearskthatkthekpredicatekbelongsktokthesekconceptsnecessarilykindeed,kyetknotkdirectlykbutkindirectlykbykankaddedvisualizationk[Anschauung].

kkkSect.k3.kAkRemar konkthekGeneralkDivisionkofkjudgmentskintokkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkAnalyticalkandkSynthetical

kkkkkThiskdivisionkiskindispensable,kaskconcernskthekCritiquekofhumankunderstanding,kandkthereforekdeservesktokbekcalledclassical,kthoughkotherwisekitkiskofklittlekuse,kbutkthiskiskthereasonkwhykdogmatickphilosophers,kwhokalwaysksee ktheksourceskofmetaphysicalkjudgmentskinkMetaphysicskitself,kandknotkapartkfromit,kinkthekpureklawskofkreasonkgenerally,kaltogetherkneglectedthiskapparentlykobviouskdistinction.kThuskthekcelebratedkWolf,andkhiskacutekfollowerkBaumgarten,kcamektoksee kthekproofkofktheprinciplekofkSufficientkReason,kwhichkiskclearlyksynthetical,kinthekprinciplekofkContradiction.kInkLoc e'skEssay,khowever,kIkfindankindicationkofkmykdivision.kForkinkthekfourthkboo k(chap.kiii.Sect.k9,kseq.),khavingkdiscussedkthekvariouskconnectionskofrepresentationskinkjudgments,kandktheirksources,konekofkwhichkhema esk-Ikidentitykandkcontradiction"k(analyticalkjudgments),kandanotherkthekcoexistencekofkrepresentationskinkaksubject,kheconfessesk(Sect.k10)kthatkourkakpriorik nowledgekofktheklatterkis

veryknarrow,kandkalmostknothing.kButkinkhiskremar skonkthisspecieskofkcognition,ktherekisksoklittlekofkwhatkiskdefinite,kandreducedktokrules,kthatkwekcannotkwonderkifknokone,knotkevenkHume,waskledktokma ekinvestigationskconcerningkthisksortkofkjudgments.Forksuchkgeneralkandkyetkdefinitekprincipleskareknotkeasilylearnedkfromkotherkmen,kwhokhavekhadkthemkobscurelykinktheirminds.kWekmustkhitkonkthemkfirstkbykourkownkreflection,kthenkwefindkthemkelsewhere,kwherekwekcouldknotkpossiblyknavekfoundkthematkfirst,kbecausekthekauthorskthemselveskdidknotk nowkthatksuchankideaklaykatkthekbasiskofktheirkobservations.kMenkwhokneverthin kindependentlykhavekneverthelesskthekacutenessktokdiscovereverything,kafterkitkhaskbeenkoncekshownkthem,kinkwhatkwasksaidlongksince,kthoughknokonekeverksawkitktherekbefore.

kkkkkSect.k4.kThekGeneralkQuestionkofkthekProlegemena.k-kIskkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkMetaphysicskatkallkPossible?

kkkkkWerekakmetaphysics,kwhichkcouldkmaintainkitskplacekaskascience,kreallykinkexistence;kcouldkweksay,kherekiskmetaphysics,learnkit,kandkitkwillkconvincekyoukirresistiblykandkirrevocablyofkitsktruth:kthiskquestionkwouldkbekuseless,kandktherekwouldonlykremainkthatkotherkquestionk(whichkwouldkratherkbekaktestkofourkacuteness,kthankakproofkofkthekexistencekofkthekthingitself),k"Howkisktheksciencekpossible,kandkhowkdoeskreasonkcometokattainkit?"kButkhumankreasonkhasknotkbeenksokfortunatekinkthiscase.kTherekisknoksinglekboo ktokwhichkyoukcankpointkaskyoukdokto

Euclid,kandksay:kThiskiskMetaphysics;kherekyoukmaykfindkthenoblestkobjectskofkthiskscience,kthek nowledgekofkakhighestBeing,kandkofkakfuturekexistence,kprovedkfromkprincipleskofkpurereason.kWekcankbekshownkindeedkmanykjudgments,kdemonstrablycertain,kandkneverkquestioned;kbutkthesekarekallkanalytical,kandratherkconcernkthekmaterialskandkthekscaffoldingkforkMetaphysics,thankthekextensionkofk nowledge,kwhichkiskourkproperkobjectkinstudyingkitk(Sectk2).kEvenksupposingkyoukproduceksyntheticaljudgmentsk(suchkasktheklawkofkSufficientkReason,kwhichkyoukhaveneverkproved,kaskyoukoughtkto,kfromkpurekreasonkakpriori,kthough


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wekgladlykconcedekitsktruth),kyouklapsekwhenktheykcomektokbeemployedkforkyourkprincipalkobject,kintoksuchkdoubtfulassertions,kthatkinkallkageskonekMetaphysicskhaskcontradictedanother,keitherkinkitskassertions,korktheirkproofs,kandkthuskhasitselfkdestroyedkitskownkclaimktoklastingkassent.kNay,kthekveryattemptsktoksetkupksuchkaksciencekarekthekmainkcausekofkthekearlyappearancekofks epticism,kakmentalkattitudekinkwhichkreasontreatskitselfkwithksuchkviolencekthatkitkcouldkneverkhavekarisensavekfromkcompletekdespairkofkeverksatisfyingkourkmostkimportantaspirations.kForklongkbeforekmenkbeganktokinquirekintoknaturemethodically,ktheykconsultedkabstractkreason,kwhichkhadktoksomeextentkbeenkexercisedkbykmeanskofkordinarykexperience;kforkreasoniskeverkpresent,kwhileklawskofknaturekmustkusuallykbekdiscoveredwithklabor.kSokMetaphysicskfloatedktoktheksurface,kli ekfoam,whichkdissolvedkthekmomentkitkwaskscoopedkoff.kButkimmediatelytherekappearedkaknewksupplykonktheksurface,ktokbekeverkeagerlygatheredkupkbyksome,kwhilekothers,kinsteadkofksee ingkinkthedepthskthekcausekofkthekphenomenon,kthoughtktheykshowedktheirwisdomkbykridiculingkthekidleklaborkofktheirkneighbors.

kkkkkThekessentialkandkdistinguishingkfeaturekofkpuremathematicalkcognitionkamongkallkotherkakpriorikcognitionskis,thatkitkcannotkatkallkproceedkfromkconcepts,kbutkonlykbykmeanskofthekconstructionkofkconceptsk(seekCritiquekII.,kMethodkof

Transcendentalism,kChap.kI.,ksect.k1).kAskthereforekinkitsjudgmentskitkmustkproceedkbeyondkthekconceptktokthatkwhichkitscorrespondingkvisualizationk[Anschauung]kcontains,kthesejudgmentskneitherkcan,knorkoughtkto,karisekanalytically,kbydissectingkthekconcept,kbutkarekallksynthetical.

kkkkkIkcannotkrefrainkfromkpointingkoutkthekdisadvantageresultingktokphilosophykfromkthekneglectkofkthiskeasykandapparentlykinsignificantkobservation.kHumekbeingkpromptedk(aktasworthykofkakphilosopher)ktokcastkhiskeyekoverkthekwholekfieldkofakpriorikcognitionskinkwhichkhumankunderstandingkclaimsksuchmightykpossessions,kheedlesslykseveredkfromkitkakwhole,kandindeedkitskmostkvaluable,kprovince,kviz.,kpurekmathematics;kfor

hekthoughtkitsknature,kor,ksoktokspea ,kthekstate-constitutionkofthiskempire,kdependedkonktotallykdifferentkprinciples,knamely,kontheklawkofkcontradictionkalone;kandkalthoughkhekdidknotkdividejudgmentskinkthiskmannerkformallykandkuniversallykaskIkhavekdonehere,kwhatkheksaidkwaskequivalentktokthis:kthatkmathematicscontainskonlykanalytical,kbutkmetaphysicsksynthetical,kakpriorijudgments.kInkthis,khowever,khekwaskgreatlykmista en,kandkthemista ekhadkakdecidedlykinjuriouskeffectkuponkhiskwholeconception.kButkforkthis,khekwouldkhavekextendedkhiskquestionconcerningkthekoriginkofkourksyntheticalkjudgmentskfarkbeyondkthemetaphysicalkconceptkofkCausality,kandkincludedkinkitkthepossibilitykofkmathematicskakpriorikalso,kforkthisklatterkhekmusthavekassumedktokbekequallyksynthetical.kAndkthenkhekcouldknot

havekbasedkhiskmetaphysicalkjudgmentskonkmerekexperiencekwithoutsubjectingkthekaxiomskofkmathematicskequallyktokexperience,kathingkwhichkhekwaskfarktookacutektokdo.kThekgoodkcompanykintowhichkmetaphysicskwouldkthuskhavekbeenkbrought,kwouldkhaveksaveditkfromkthekdangerkofkakcontemptuouskill-treatment,kforkthethrustkintendedkforkitkmustkhavekreachedkmathematics,kwhichkwasnotkandkcouldknotkhavekbeenkHume'skintention.kThuskthatkacutekmanwouldkhavekbeenkledkintokconsiderationskwhichkmustkneedskbesimilarktokthosekthatknowkoccupykus,kbutkwhichkwouldkhavekgainedinestimablykbykhiskinimitablykelegantkstyle.


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kkkkkMetaphysicalkjudgments,kproperlyksokcalled,karekallsynthetical.kWekmustkdistinguishkjudgmentskpertainingktometaphysicskfromkmetaphysicalkjudgmentskproperlyksokcalled.kManyofkthekformerkarekanalytical,kbutktheykonlykaffordkthekmeanskformetaphysicalkjudgments,kwhichkarekthekwholekendkofkthekscience,andkwhichkarekalwaysksynthetical.kForkifktherekbekconceptspertainingktokmetaphysicsk(as,kforkexample,kthatkofksubstance),thekjudgmentskspringingkfromksimplekanalysiskofkthemkalsokpertaintokmetaphysics,kas,kforkexample,ksubstancekiskthatkwhichkonlyexistskasksubject;kandkbykmeanskofkseveralksuchkanalyticaljudgments,kweksee ktokapproachkthekdefinitionkofkthekconcept.kButaskthekanalysiskofkakpurekconceptkofkthekunderstandingkpertainingtokmetaphysics,kdoesknotkproceedkinkanykdifferentkmannerkfromkthedissectionkofkanykother,kevenkempirical,kconcepts,knotkpertainingtokmetaphysicsk(suchkas:kairkiskankelastickfluid,kthekelasticityofkwhichkisknotkdestroyedkbykanyk nownkdegreekofkcold),kitfollowskthatkthekconceptkindeed,kbutknotkthekanalyticalkjudgment,iskproperlykmetaphysical.kThisksciencekhasksomethingkpeculiarkinthekproductionkofkitskakpriorikcognitions,kwhichkmustkthereforebekdistinguishedkfromkthekfeatureskitkhaskinkcommonkwithkotherrationalk nowledge.kThuskthekjudgment,kthatkallktheksubstancekinthingskiskpermanent,kiskaksyntheticalkandkproperlykmetaphysicaljudgment.

kkkkkIfkthekakpriorikprinciples,kwhichkconstitutekthekmaterialsofkmetaphysics,khavekfirstkbeenkcollectedkaccordingktokfixedprinciples,kthenktheirkanalysiskwillkbekofkgreatkvalue;kitkmightbektaughtkaskakparticularkpartk(askakphilosophiakdefinitiva),containingknothingkbutkanalyticalkjudgmentskpertainingktometaphysics,kandkcouldkbektreatedkseparatelykfromktheksyntheticalwhichkconstitutekmetaphysicskproper.kForkindeedkthesekanalysesareknotkelsewherekofkmuchkvalue,kexceptkinkmetaphysics,ki.e.,kasregardsktheksyntheticalkjudgments,kwhichkarektokbekgeneratedkbythesekpreviouslykanalyzedkconcepts.

kkkkkThekconclusionkdrawnkinkthisksectionkthenkis,kthat

metaphysicskiskproperlykconcernedkwithksyntheticalkpropositionskapriori,kandkthesekalonekconstitutekitskend,kforkwhichkitkindeedrequireskvariouskdissectionskofkitskconcepts,kviz.,kofkitsanalyticalkjudgments,kbutkwhereinkthekprocedurekisknotkdifferentfromkthatkinkeverykotherk indkofk nowledge,kinkwhichkwekmerelysee ktokrenderkourkconceptskdistinctkbykanalysis.kButkthegenerationkofkakpriorikcognitionkbykconcretekimageskaskwellkaskbyconcepts,kinkfinekofksyntheticalkpropositionskakpriorikinphilosophicalkcognition,kconstituteskthekessentialksubjectkofMetaphysics.

kkkkkWearykthereforekaskwellkofkdogmatism,kwhichkteacheskusnothing,kaskofks epticism,kwhichkdoesknotkevenkpromisekus

anything,knotkevenkthekquietkstatekofkakcontentedkignorance;disquietedkbykthekimportancekofk nowledgeksokmuchkneeded;kandlastly,krenderedksuspiciouskbyklongkexperiencekofkallk nowledgewhichkwekbelievekwekpossess,korkwhichkofferskitself,kunderkthetitlekofkpurekreason:ktherekremainskbutkonekcriticalkquestionkonthekanswerktokwhichkourkfuturekprocedurekdepends,kviz.,kIsMetaphysicskatkallkpossible?kButkthiskquestionkmustkbekanswerednotkbyks epticalkobjectionsktokthekasseverationskofksomekactualsystemkofkmetaphysicsk(forkwekdoknotkaskyetkadmitksuchkakthingktoexist),kbutkfromkthekconception,kaskyetkonlykproblematical,kofka


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sciencekofkthisksort.

kkkkkInkthekCritiquekofkPurekReasonkIkhavektreatedkthiskquestionsynthetically,kbykma ingkinquirieskintokpurekreasonkitself,kandendeavoringkinkthisksourcektokdeterminekthekelementskaskwellkastheklawskofkitskpurekusekaccordingktokprinciples.kThektas kisdifficult,kandkrequireskakresolutekreaderktokpenetratekbykdegreesintokaksystem,kbasedkonknokdatakexceptkreasonkitself,kandkwhichthereforeksee s,kwithoutkrestingkuponkanykfact,ktokunfoldnowledgekfromkitskoriginalkgerms.kProlegomena,khowever,karedesignedkforkpreparatorykexercises;ktheykarekintendedkratherktopointkoutkwhatkwekhavektokdokinkorderkifkpossiblektokactualizekascience,kthanktokpropoundkit.kTheykmustkthereforekrestkuponsomethingkalreadyk nownkasktrustworthy,kfromkwhichkwekcanksetkoutwithkconfidence,kandkascendktoksourceskaskyetkun nown,kthediscoverykofkwhichkwillknotkonlykexplainktokuskwhatkwek new,kbutexhibitkakspherekofkmanykcognitionskwhichkallkspringkfromkthesameksources.kThekmethodkofkProlegomena,kespeciallykofkthosedesignedkaskakpreparationkforkfuturekmetaphysics,kiskconsequentlyanalytical.

kkkkkButkitkhappenskfortunately,kthatkthoughkwekcannotkassumemetaphysicsktokbekankactualkscience,kwekcanksaykwithkconfidencethatkcertainkpurekakprioriksyntheticalkcognitions,kpure

MathematicskandkpurekPhysicskarekactualkandkgiven;kforkbothcontainkpropositions,kwhichkarekthoroughlykrecognizedkasapodicticallykcertain,kpartlykbykmerekreason,kpartlykbykgeneralconsentkarisingkfromkexperience,kandkyetkaskindependentkofexperience.kWekhavekthereforeksomekatkleastkuncontestedsyntheticalk nowledgekakpriori,kandkneedknotkas kwhetherkitkbepossible,kforkitkiskactual,kbutkhowkitkiskpossible,kinkorderkthatwekmaykdeducekfromkthekprinciplekwhichkma eskthekgivenkcognitionspossiblekthekpossibilitykofkallkthekrest.

kSect.k5.kThekGeneralkProblem:kHowkiskCognitionkfromkPurekReasonkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkPossible?

kkkkkWekhavekaboveklearnedktheksignificantkdistinctionkbetweenanalyticalkandksyntheticalkjudgments.kThekpossibilitykofanalyticalkpropositionskwaskeasilykcomprehended,kbeingkentirelyfoundedkonktheklawkofkContradiction.kThekpossibilitykofsyntheticalkakposteriorikjudgments,kofkthosekwhichkarekgatheredfromkexperience,kalsokrequiresknokparticularkexplanation;kforexperiencekisknothingkbutkakcontinualksynthesiskofkperceptions.Therekremainkthereforekonlyksyntheticalkpropositionskakpriori,kofwhichkthekpossibilitykmustkbeksoughtkorkinvestigated,kbecausetheykmustkdependkuponkotherkprincipleskthanktheklawkofcontradiction.

kkkkkButkherekwekneedknotkfirstkestablishkthekpossibilitykofksuch

propositionsksokasktokas kwhetherktheykarekpossible.kForktherearekenoughkofkthemkwhichkindeedkarekofkundoubtedkcertainty,kandaskourkpresentkmethodkiskanalytical,kwekshallkstartkfromkthefact,kthatksuchksyntheticalkbutkpurelykrationalkcognitionactuallykexists;kbutkwekmustknowkinquirekintokthekreasonkofkthispossibility,kandkas ,khowksuchkcognitionkiskpossible,kinkorderthatkwekmaykfromkthekprincipleskofkitskpossibilitykbekenabledktodeterminekthekconditionskofkitskuse,kitskspherekandkitsklimits.Thekproperkproblemkuponkwhichkallkdepends,kwhenkexpressedkwithscholastickprecision,kisktherefore:kHowkarekSynthethetic


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Propositionskakpriorikpossible?

kkkkkForktheksa ekofkpopularitykIkhavekabovekexpressedkthisproblemksomewhatkdifferently,kaskankinquirykintokpurelykrationalcognition,kwhichkIkcouldkdokforkoncekwithoutkdetrimentktokthedesiredkcomprehension,kbecause,kaskwekhavekonlyktokdokherekwithmetaphysicskandkitsksources,kthekreaderkwill,kIkhope,kafterktheforegoingkremar s,k eepkinkmindkthatkwhenkwekspea kofkpurelyrationalkcognition,kwekdoknotkmeankanalytical,kbutksyntheticalcognition.6

kkkkkMetaphysicskstandskorkfallskwithktheksolutionkofkthisproblem:kitskverykexistencekdependskuponkit.kLetkanykonekma emetaphysicalkassertionskwithkeverksokmuchkplausibility,kletkhimoverwhelmkuskwithkconclusions,kifkhekhasknotkpreviouslykprovedablektokanswerkthiskquestionksatisfactorily,kIkhavekakrightktosaykthiskiskallkvainkbaselesskphilosophykandkfalsekwisdom.kYouspea kthroughkpurekreason,kandkclaim,kaskitkwerektokcreatecognitionskakpriori.kbyknotkonlykdissectingkgivenkconcepts,kbutalsokbykassertingkconnectionskwhichkdoknotkrestkuponktheklawkofcontradiction,kandkwhichkyoukbelievekyoukconceivekquiteindependentlykofkallkexperience;khowkdokyoukarrivekatkthis,kandhowkwillkyoukjustifykyourkpretensions?kAnkappealktokthekconsentofkthekcommonksensekofkman indkcannotkbekallowed;kforkthatkiska

witnesskwhosekauthoritykdependskmerelykuponkrumor.kSayskHorace:

kkkkk"kQuodcunquekostendiskmihiksic,kincreduluskodi."kkkkk"Tokallkthatkwhichkthoukprovestkmekthus,kIkrefusektokgivekkkkkcredence.k"

kkkkkThekanswerktokthiskquestion,kthoughkindispensable,kisdifficult;kandkthoughkthekprincipalkreasonkthatkitkwasknotkmadelongkagokis,kthatkthekpossibilitykofkthekquestionkneverkoccurredtokanybody,ktherekiskyetkanotherkreason,kwhichkiskthiskthatkasatisfactorykanswerktokthiskonekquestionkrequireskakmuchkmorepersistent,kprofound,kandkpainsta ingkreflection,kthankthekmostdiffusekwor konkMetaphysics,kwhichkonkitskfirstkappearance

promisedkimmortalityktokitskauthor.kAndkeverykintelligentkreader,whenkhekcarefullykreflectskwhatkthiskproblemkrequires,kmustkatfirstkbekstruc kwithkitskdifficulty,kandkwouldkregardkitkasinsolublekandkevenkimpossible,kdidkthereknotkactuallykexistkpuresyntheticalkcognitionskakpriori.kThiskactuallykhappenedktokDavidHume,kthoughkhekdidknotkconceivekthekquestionkinkitskentireuniversalitykaskiskdonekhere,kandkaskmustkbekdone,kshouldktheanswerkbekdecisivekforkallkMetaphysics.kForkhowkiskitkpossible,sayskthatkacutekman,kthatkwhenkakconceptkiskgivenkme,kIkcankgobeyondkitkandkconnectkwithkitkanother,kwhichkisknotkcontainedkinit,kinksuchkakmannerkaskifktheklatterknecessarilykbelongedktoktheformer?kNothingkbutkexperiencekcankfurnishkuskwithksuchconnectionsk(thuskhekconcludedkfromkthekdifficultykwhichkhektoo

tokbekankimpossibility),kandkallkthatkvauntedknecessity,kor,kwhatisktheksamekthing,kallkcognitionkassumedktokbekakpriori,kisnothingkbutkaklongkhabitkofkacceptingksomethingkasktrue,kandhencekofkmista ingksubjectiveknecessitykforkobjective.

kkkkkShouldkmykreaderkcomplainkofkthekdifficultykandkthektroublewhichkIkoccasionkhimkinktheksolutionkofkthiskproblem,khekiskatlibertyktoksolvekitkhimselfkinkankeasierkway.kPerhapskhekwillthenkfeelkunderkobligationktokthekpersonkwhokhaskunderta enkforhimkaklaborkofksokprofoundkresearch,kandkwillkratherkbeksurprised


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atkthekfacilitykwithkwhich,kconsideringktheknaturekofkthesubject,ktheksolutionkhaskbeenkattained.kYetkitkhaskcostkyearskofwor ktoksolvekthekproblemkinkitskwholekuniversalityk(usingkthetermkinkthekmathematicalksense,kviz.,kforkthatkwhichkissufficientkforkallkcases),kandkfinallyktokexhibitkitkinktheanalyticalkform,kaskthekreaderkfindskitkhere.

kkkkkAllkmetaphysicianskarekthereforeksolemnlykandklegallysuspendedkfromktheirkoccupationsktillktheykshallkhavekansweredkinaksatisfactorykmannerkthekquestion,k"Howkareksynthetickcognitionsakpriorikpossible?"kForkthekanswerkcontainskthekonlykcredentialswhichktheykmustkshowkwhenktheykhavekanythingktokofferkinktheknameofkpurekreason.kButkifktheykdoknotkpossesskthesekcredentials,theykcankexpectknothingkelsekofkreasonablekpeople,kwhokhavekbeendeceivedksokoften,kthanktokbekdismissedkwithoutkfurtherkado.

kkkkkIfktheykonkthekotherkhandkdesirektokcarrykonktheirkbusiness,notkaskakscience,kbutkaskankartkofkwholesomekoratoryksuitedktothekcommonksensekofkman,ktheykcannotkinkjusticekbekprevented.Theykwillkthenkspea kthekmodestklanguagekofkakrationalkbelief,theykwillkgrantkthatktheykareknotkallowedkevenktokconjecture,kfarlessktok now,kanythingkwhichklieskbeyondkthekboundskofkallpossiblekexperience,kbutkonlyktokassumek(notkforkspeculativekuse,whichktheykmustkabandon,kbutkforkpracticalkpurposeskonly)kthe

existencekofksomethingkthatkiskpossiblekandkevenkindispensableforkthekguidancekofkthekunderstandingkandkofkthekwillkinklife.kInthiskmarinerkalonekcanktheykbekcalledkusefulkandkwisekmen,kandthekmoreksokasktheykrenouncekthektitlekofkmetaphysicians;kforkthelatterkprofessktokbekspeculativekphilosophers,kandksince,kwhenjudgmentskakprior:karekunderkdiscussion,kpoorkprobabilitiescannotkbekadmittedk(forkwhatkiskdeclaredktokbek nownkakpriorikistherebykannouncedkasknecessary),ksuchkmenkcannotkbekpermittedktoplaykwithkconjectures,kbutktheirkassertionskmustkbekeitherscience,korkarekworthknothingkatkall.

kkkkkItkmaykbeksaid,kthatkthekentirektranscendentalkphilosophy,whichknecessarilykprecedeskallkmetaphysics,kisknothingkbutkthe

completeksolutionkofkthekproblemkherekpropounded,kinksystematicalorderkandkcompleteness,kandkhithertokwekhavekneverkhadkanytranscendentalkphilosophy;kforkwhatkgoeskbykitsknamekiskproperlyakpartkofkmetaphysics,kwhereaskthekformerkscienceskintendedkfirsttokconstitutekthekpossibilitykofkthek'matter,kandkmustkthereforeprecedekallkmetaphysics.kAndkitkisknotksurprisingkthatkwhenkawholekscience,kdeprivedkofkallkhelpkfromkotherksciences,kandconsequentlykinkitselfkquiteknew,kiskrequiredktokanswerkak-singlequestionksatisfactorily,kwekshouldkfindkthekanswerktroublesomeandkdifficult,knaykevenkshroudedkinkobscurity.

kkkkkAskweknowkproceedktokthisksolutionkaccordingktoktheanalyticalkmethod,kinkwhichkwekassumekthatksuchkcognitionskfrom

purekreasonskactuallykexist,kwekcankonlykappealktoktwoksciencesofktheoreticalkcognitionk.kwhichkalonekiskunderkconsiderationhere),kpurekmathematicskandkpureknaturalksciencek(physics).kForthesekalonekcankexhibitktokuskobjectskinkakdefinitekandactualizablekformk(inkderkAnschauung),kandkconsequentlyk(ifkthereshouldkoccurkinkthemkakcognitionkakpriori)kcankshowkthektruthkorconformitykofkthekcognitionktokthekobjectkinkconcrete,kthatkis,itskactuality,kfromkwhichkwekcouldkproceedktokthekreasonkofkitspossibilitykbykthekanalytickmethod.kThiskfacilitateskourkworgreatlykforkherekuniversalkconsiderationskareknotkonlykappliedkto


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facts,kbutkevenkstartkfromkthem,kwhilekinkaksynthetickproceduretheykmustkstrictlykbekderivedkinkabstractskfromkconcepts.

kkkkkBut,kinkorderktokrisekfromkthesekactualkandkatktheksamektimewell-groundedkpurekcognitionskakprioriktoksuchkakpossiblecognitionkofktheksamekaskwekareksee ing,kviz.,ktokmetaphysicskasakscience,kwekmustkcomprehendkthatkwhichkoccasionskit,kIkmeankthemereknatural,kthoughkinkspitekofkitsktruthknotkunsuspected,cognitionkakpriorikwhichklieskatkthekbottomkofkthatkscience,ktheelaborationkofkwhichkwithoutkanykcriticalkinvestigationkofkitspossibilitykiskcommonlykcalledkmetaphysics.kInkakword,kwekmustcomprehendktheknaturalkconditionskofksuchkaksciencekaskakpartkofourkinquiry,kandkthuskthektranscendentalkproblemkwillkbegraduallykansweredkbykakdivisionkintokfourkquestions:

kkkkk1.kHowkiskpurekmathematicskpossible?kkkkk2.kHowkiskpureknaturalksciencekpossible?kkkkk3.kHowkiskmetaphysicskinkgeneralkpossible?kkkkk4.kHowkiskmetaphysicskaskaksciencekpossible?kkkkkkkkItkmaykbekseenkthatktheksolutionkofkthesekproblems,kthoughchieflykdesignedktokexhibitkthekessentialkmatterkofkthekCritique,haskyetksomethingkpeculiar,kwhichkforkitselfkalonekdeservesattention.kThiskisktheksearchkforktheksourceskofkgivenksciences

inkreasonkitself,ksokthatkitskfacultykofk nowingksomethingkapriorikmaykbykitskownkdeedskbekinvestigatedkandkmeasured.kBykthisprocedurekthesekscienceskgain,kifknotkwithkregardktoktheircontents,kyetkasktoktheirkproperkuse,kandkwhilektheykthrowklightonkthekhigherkquestionkconcerningktheirkcommonkorigin,ktheykgive,atktheksamektime,kankoccasionkbetterktokexplainktheirkownknature.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk*k*k*k*

kkkkkkkkkkkkFIRSTkPARTkOFkTHEkTRANSCENDENTALkPROBLEM:kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkHOWkISkPUREkMATHEMATICSkPOSSIBLE?

kkkkkHerekiskakgreatkandkestablishedkbranchkofk nowledge,

encompassingkevenknowkakwonderfullyklargekdomainkandkpromisingkanunlimitedkextensionkinkthekfuture.kYetkitkcarrieskwithkitthoroughlykapodicticalkcertainty,ki.e.,kabsoluteknecessity,kwhichthereforekrestskuponknokempiricalkgrounds.kConsequentlykitkiskapurekproductkofkreason,kandkmoreoverkiskthoroughlyksynthetical.[Herekthekquestionkarises:]k"Howkthenkiskitkpossiblekforkhumanreasonktokproducekakcognitionkofkthisknaturekentirelykakpriori?"

kkkkkDoesknotkthiskfacultyk[whichkproduceskmathematics],kaskitneitherkisknorkcankbekbasedkuponkexperience,kpresupposeksomegroundkofkcognitionkakpriori,kwhichklieskdeeplykhidden,kb,.--,whichkmightkrevealkitselfkbykthesekitskeffects,kifktheirkfirstbeginningskwerekbutkdiligentlykferretedkout?

kkkkkSect.k7.kButkwekfindkthatkallkmathematicalkcognitionkhasthiskpeculiarity:kitkmustkfirstkexhibitkitskconceptkinkakvisualformk[Anschauung]kandkindeedkakpriori,kthereforekinkakvisualkformwhichkisknotkempirical,kbutkpure.kWithoutkthiskmathematicskcannotta ekaksinglekstep;khencekitskjudgmentskarekalwayskvisual,kviz.,"Intuitive";kwhereaskphilosophykmustkbeksatisfiedkwithkdiscursivejudgmentskfromkmerekconcepts,kandkthoughkitkmaykillustratekitsdoctrineskthroughkakvisualkfigure,kcankneverkderivekthemkfromkit.Thiskobservationkonktheknaturekofkmathematicskgiveskuskakcluekto


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thekfirstkandkhighestkconditionkofkitskpossibility,kwhichkis,thatksomeknon-sensuouskvisualizationk[calledkpurekintuition,korreinekAnschauung]kmustkformkitskbasis,kinkwhichkallkitskconceptscankbekexhibitedkorkconstructed,kinkconcretekandkyetkakpriori.kIfwekcankfindkoutkthiskpurekintuitionkandkitskpossibility,kwekmaythencekeasilykexplainkhowksyntheticalkpropositionskakpriorikarepossiblekinkpurekmathematics,kandkconsequentlykhowkthiskscienceitselfkiskpossible.kEmpiricalkintuitionk[viz.,ksense-perception]enableskuskwithoutkdifficultyktokenlargekthekconceptkwhichkweframekofkankobjectkofkintuitionk[orksense-perception],kbyknewpredicates,kwhichkintuitionk[i.e.,ksense-perception]kitselfpresentsksyntheticallykinkexperience.kPurekintuitionk[viz.,kthevisualizationkofkformskinkourkimagination,kfromkwhichkeverykthingsensual,ki.e.,keverykthoughtkofkmaterialkqualities,kiskexcluded]doesksokli ewise,konlykwithkthiskdifference,kthatkinktheklattercasektheksyntheticalkjudgmentkiskakpriorikcertainkandapodictical,kinkthekformer,konlykakposteriorikandkempiricallycertain;kbecausekthisklatterkcontainskonlykthatkwhichkoccurskincontingentkempiricalkintuition,kbutkthekformer,kthatkwhichkmustnecessarilykbekdiscoveredkinkpurekintuition.kHe.-ekintuition,beingkankintuitionkakpriori,kiskbeforekallkexperience,kviz.,beforekanykperceptionkofkparticularkobjects,kinseparablyconjoinedkwithkitskconcept.

kkkkkSect.k8.kButkwithkthiskstepkourkperplexitykseemskratherktoincreasekthanktoklessen.kForkthekquestionknowkis,k"Howkiskitpossiblektokintuitk[inkakvisualkform]kanythingkakpriori"kAnintuitionk[viz.,kakvisualksensekperception]kisksuchkarepresentationkaskimmediatelykdependskuponkthekpresencekofktheobject.kHencekitkseemskimpossiblektokintuitkfromkthekoutsetkapriori,kbecausekintuitionkwouldkinkthatkeventkta ekplacekwithouteitherkakformerkorkakpresentkobjectktokreferkto,kandkbyconsequencekcouldknotkbekintuition.kConceptskindeedkareksuch,thatkwekcankeasilykformksomekofkthemkakpriori,kviz.,ksuchkascontainknothingkbutkthekthoughtkofkankobjectkinkgeneral;kandkweneedknotkfindkourselveskinkankimmediatekrelationktokthekobject.Ta e,kforkinstance,kthekconceptskofkQuantity,kofkCause,ketc.kBut

evenkthesekrequire,kinkorderktokma ekthemkunderstood,kakcertainconcretekuse-thatkis,kankapplicationktoksomeksense-experience[Anschauung],kbykwhichkankobjectkofkthemkiskgivenkus.kButkhowkcanthekintuitionkofkthekobjectk[itskvisualization]kprecedektheobjectkitself?

kkkkkSect.k9.kIfkourkintuitionk[i.e.,kourksense-experience]kwereperforcekofksuchkaknaturekasktokrepresentkthingskasktheykarekinthemselves,ktherekwouldknotkbekanykintuitionkakpriori,kbutintuitionkwouldkbekalwayskempirical.kForkIkcankonlyk nowkwhatkiscontainedkinkthekobjectkinkitselfkwhenkitkiskpresentkandkgivenktome.kItkiskindeedkevenkthenkincomprehensiblekhowkthekvisualizing[Anschauung]kofkakpresentkthingkshouldkma ekmek nowkthiskthingkas

itkiskinkitself,kaskitskpropertieskcannotkmigratekintokmykfacultyofkrepresentation.kButkevenkgrantingkthiskpossibility,kavisualizingkofkthatksortkwouldknotkta ekplacekakpriori,kthatkis,beforekthekobjectkwerekpresentedktokme;kforkwithoutkthisklatterfactknokreasonkofkakrelationkbetweenkmykrepresentationkandktheobjectkcankbekimagined,kunlesskitkdependkuponkakdirectinspiration.

kkkkkThereforekinkonekwaykonlykcankmykintuitionk[Anschauung]anticipatekthekactualitykofkthekobject,kandkbekakcognitionka


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priori,kviz.:kifkmykintuitionkcontainsknothingkbutkthekformkofsensibility,kantedatingkinkmyksubjectivitykallkthekactualimpressionskthroughkwhichkIkamkaffectedkbykobjects.

kkkkkForkthatkobjectskofksensekcankonlykbekintuitdkaccordingktothiskformkofksensibilitykIkcank nowkakpriori.kHencekitkfollows:thatkpropositions,kwhichkconcernkthiskformkofksensuouskintuitiononly,karekpossiblekandkvalidkforkobjectskofktheksenses;kaskalso,conversely,kthatkintuitionskwhichkarekpossiblekakpriorikcankneverconcernkanykotherkthingskthankobjectskofkourksenses.7

kkkkkSect.k10.kAccordingly,kitkiskonlykthekformkofksensuousintuitionkbykwhichkwekcankintuitkthingskakpriori,kbutkbykwhichkwecank nowkobjectskonlykasktheykappearktokusk(tokourksenses),knotasktheykarekinkthemselves;kandkthiskassumptionkiskabsolutelynecessarykifksyntheticalkpropositionskakpriorikbekgrantedkaspossible,korkif,kinkcasektheykactuallykoccur,ktheirkpossibilityisktokbekcomprehendedkandkdeterminedkbeforehand.

kkkkkNow,kthekintuitionskwhichkpurekmathematicsklayskatkthefoundationkofkallkitskcognitionskandkjudgmentskwhichkappearkatoncekapodictickandknecessarykarekSpacekandkTime.kForkmathematicsmustkfirstkhavekallkitskconceptskinkintuition,kandkpuremathematicskinkpurekintuition,kthatkis,kitkmustkconstructkthem.

Ifkitkproceededkinkanykotherkway,kitkwouldkbekimpossiblektokma eanykheadway,kforkmathematicskproceeds,knotkanalyticallykbydissectionkofkconcepts,kbutksynthetically,kandkifkpurekintuitionbekwanting,ktherekisknothingkinkwhichkthekmatterkforksyntheticaljudgmentskakpriorikcankbekgiven.kGeometrykiskbasedkuponkthekpureintuitionkofkspace.kArithmetickaccomplisheskitskconceptkofknumberbyktheksuccessivekadditionkofkunitskinktime;kandkpurekmechanicsespeciallykcannotkattainkitskconceptskofkmotionkwithoutkemployingthekrepresentationkofktime.kBothkrepresentations,khowever,kareonlykintuitions;kforkifkwekomitkfromkthekempiricalkintuitionskofbodieskandktheirkalterationsk(motion)keverythingkempirical,korbelongingktoksensation,kspacekandktimekstillkremain,kwhichkarethereforekpurekintuitionskthatkliekakpriorikatkthekbasiskofkthe

empirical.kHencektheykcankneverkbekomitted,kbutkatktheksamektime,byktheirkbeingkpurekintuitionskakpriori,ktheykprovekthatktheykaremerekformskofkourksensibility,kwhichkmustkprecedekallkempiricalintuition,korkperceptionkofkactualkobjects,kandkconformablyktowhichkobjectskcankbek nownkakpriori,kbutkonlykasktheykappearktous.

kkkkkSect.k11.kThekproblemkofkthekpresentksectionkiskthereforesolved.kPurekmathematics,kasksyntheticalkcognitionkakpriori,kisonlykpossiblekbykreferringktoknokotherkobjectskthankthosekofkthesenses.kAtkthekbasiskofktheirkempiricalkintuitionklieskakpureintuitionk(ofkspacekandkofktime)kwhichkiskakpriori.kThiskispossible,kbecausektheklatterkintuitionkisknothingkbutkthekmere

formkofksensibility,kwhichkprecedeskthekactualkappearancekofktheobjects,kin,kthatkit,kinkfact,kma eskthemkpossible.kYetkthisfacultykofkintuitingkakpriorikaffectsknotkthekmatterkofkthephenomenonk(thatkis,ktheksense-elementkinkit,kforkthisconstituteskthatkwhichkiskempirical),kbutkitskform,kviz.,kspaceandktime.kShouldkanykmankventurektokdoubtkthatkthesekaredeterminationskadheringknotktokthingskinkthemselves,kbutktoktheirrelationktokourksensibility,kIkshouldkbekgladktok nowkhowkitkcanbekpossiblektok nowkthekconstitutionkofkthingskakpriori,kviz.,beforekwekhavekanykacquaintancekwithkthemkandkbeforektheykare


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presentedktokus.kSuch,khowever,kiskthekcasekwithkspacekandktime.Butkthiskiskquitekcomprehensiblekasksoonkaskbothkcountkfornothingkmorekthankformalkconditionskofkourksensibility,kwhilektheobjectskcountkmerelykaskphenomena;kforkthenkthekformkofkthephenomenon,ki.e.,kpurekintuition,kcankbykallkmeanskbekrepresentedaskproceedingkfromkourselves,kthatkis,kakpriori.

kkkkkSect.k12.kInkorderktokaddksomethingkbykwaykofkillustrationandkconfirmation,kwekneedkonlykwatchkthekordinarykandknecessaryprocedurekofkgeometers.kAllkproofskofkthekcompletekcongruencekoftwokgivenkfiguresk(wherekthekonekcankinkeverykrespectkbesubstitutedkforkthekother)kcomekultimatelyktokthiskthatktheykmaybekmadektokcoincide;kwhichkiskevidentlyknothingkelsekthankasyntheticalkpropositionkrestingkuponkimmediatekintuition,kandthiskintuitionkmustkbekpure,korkgivenkakpriori,kotherwisekthepropositionkcouldknotkran kaskapodicticallykcertain,kbutkwouldhavekempiricalkcertaintykonly.kInkthatkcase,kitkcouldkonlykbesaidkthatkitkiskalwayskfoundktokbekso,kandkholdskgoodkonlykaskfaraskourkperceptionkreaches.kThatkeverywherekspacek(whichk(inkitsentirety]kiskitselfknoklongerkthekboundarykofkanotherkspace)khasthreekdimensions,kandkthatkspacekcannotkinkanykwaykhavekmore,kisbasedkonkthekpropositionkthatknotkmorekthankthreeklineskcanintersectkatkrightkangleskinkonekpoint;kbutkthiskpropositioncannotkbykanykmeanskbekshownkfromkconcepts,kbutkrestskimmediately

onkintuition,kandkindeedkonkpurekandkakpriorikintuition,kbecauseitkiskapodicticallykcertain.kThatkwekcankrequirekaklinektokbedrawnktokinfinityk(inkindefinitum),korkthatkakserieskofkchanges(forkexample,kspacesktraversedkbykmotion)kshallkbekinfinitelycontinued,kpresupposeskakrepresentationkofkspacekandktime,kwhichcankonlykattachktokintuition,knamely,ksokfarkaskitkinkitselfkisboundedkbyknothing,kforkfromkconceptskitkcouldkneverkbekinferred.Consequently,kthekbasiskofkmathematicskactuallykarekpureintuitions,kwhichkma ekitsksyntheticalkandkapodicticallykvalidpropositionskpossible.kHencekourktranscendentalkdeductionkofkthenotionskofkspacekandkofktimekexplainskatktheksamektimekthepossibilitykofkpurekmathematics.kWithoutksomeksuchkdeductionkitstruthkmaykbekgranted,kbutkitskexistencekcouldkbyknokmeanskbe

understood,kandkwekmustkassumekIIkthatkeverythingkwhichkcankbegivenktokourksensesk(tokthekexternalksenseskinkspace,ktoktheinternalkonekinktime)kiskintuitdkbykuskaskitkappearsktokus,knotaskitkiskinkitself."

kkkkkSect.k13.kThosekwhokcannotkyetkridkthemselveskofktheknotionthatkspacekandktimekarekactualkqualitieskinheringkinkthingskinthemselves,kmaykexercisektheirkacumenkonkthekfollowingkparadox.Whenktheykhavekinkvainkattemptedkitsksolution,kandkarekfreekfromprejudiceskatkleastkforkakfewkmoments,ktheykwillksuspectkthatkthedegradationkofkspacekandkofktimektokmerekformskofk@urksensuousintuitionkmaykperhapskbekwellkfounded,

kkkkkIfktwokthingskarekquitekequalkinkallkrespectskas kmuchkascankbekascertainedkbykallkmeanskpossible,kquantitativelykandqualitatively,kitkmustkfollow,kthatkthekonekcankinkallkcaseskandunderkallkcircumstanceskreplacekthekother,kandkthisksubstitutionwouldknotkoccasionkthekleastkperceptiblekdifference.kThiskinkfactisktruekofkplanekfigureskinkgeometry;kbutksomeksphericalkfiguresexhibit,knotwithstandingkakcompletekinternalkagreement,ksuchkacontrastkinktheirkexternalkrelation,kthatkthekonekfigurekcannotpossiblykbekputkinkthekplacekofkthekother.kForkinstance,ktwosphericalktriangleskonkoppositekhemispheres,kwhichkhavekankarckof


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thekequatorkasktheirkcommonkbase,kmaykbekquitekequal,kbothkasregardsksideskandkangles,ksokthatknothingkisktokbekfoundkineither,kifkitkbekdescribedkforkitselfkalonekandkcompleted,kthatwouldknotkequallykbekapplicablektokboth;kandkyetkthekonekcannotbekputkinkthekplacekofkthekotherk(beingksituatedkuponktheoppositekhemisphere).kHerekthenkiskankinternalkdifferencekbetweenthektwoktriangles,kwhichkdifferencekourkunderstandingkcannotdescribekaskinternal,kandkwhichkonlykmanifestskitselfkbykexternalrelationskinkspace.

kkkkkButkIkshallkadducekexamples,kta enkfromkcommonklife,kthatarekmorekobviouskstill.

kkkkkWhatkcankbekmoreksimilarkinkeverykrespectkandkinkeverykpartmorekali ektokmykhandkandktokmykear,kthanktheirkimageskinkamirror?kAndkyetkIkcannotkputksuchkakhandkaskiskseenkinkthekglassinkthekplacekofkitskarchetype;kforkifkthiskiskakrightkhand,kthatinkthekglasskiskakleftkone,kandkthekimagekorkreflectionkofktherightkearkiskakleftkonekwhichkneverkcankservekaskaksubstitutekforthekother.kTherekarekinkthiskcaseknokinternalkdifferenceskwhichourkunderstandingkcouldkdeterminekbykthin ingkalone.kYetkthedifferenceskarekinternalkasktheksenseskteach,kfor,notwithstandingktheirkcompletekequalitykandksimilarity,ktheklefthandkcannotkbekenclosedkinktheksamekboundskaskthekrightkonek(they

areknotkcongruent);kthekglovekofkonekhandkcannotkbekusedkforktheother.kWhatkisktheksolution?kThesekobjectskareknotrepresentationskofkthingskasktheykarekinkthemselves,kandkaskthepurekunderstandingkwouldk nowkthem,kbutksensuouskintuitions,kthatis,kappearances,kthekpossibilitykofkwhichkrestskuponkthekrelationofkcertainkthingskun nownkinkthemselvesktoksomethingkelse,kviz.,tokourksensibility.kSpacekiskthekformkofkthekexternalkintuitionofkthisksensibility,kandkthekinternalkdeterminationkofkeveryspacekiskonlykpossiblekbykthekdeterminationkofkitskexternalrelationktokthekwholekspace,kofkwhichkitkiskakpartk(inkotherwords,kbykitskrelationktokthekexternalksense).kThatkisktoksay,thekpartkiskonlykpossiblekthroughkthekwhole,kwhichkiskneverkthecasekwithkthingskinkthemselves,kaskobjectskofkthekmere

understanding,kbutkwithkappearanceskonly.kHencekthekdifferencebetweenksimilarkandkequalkthings,kwhichkarekyetknotkcongruent(forkinstance,ktwoksymmetrickhelices),kcannotkbekmadeintelligiblekbykanykconcept,kbutkonlykbykthekrelationktoktherightkandkthekleftkhandskwhichkimmediatelykrefersktokintuition.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkREMARKk1.

kkkkkPurekMathematics,kandkespeciallykpurekgeometry,kcankonlyhavekobjectivekrealitykonkconditionkthatktheykreferktokobjectskofsense.kButkinkregardktoktheklatterkthekprinciplekholdskgood,kthatourksensekrepresentationkisknotkakrepresentationkofkthingskinthemselveskbutkofkthekwaykinkwhichktheykappearktokus.kHencekit

follows,kthatkthekpropositionskofkgeometrykareknotkthekresultskofakmerekcreationkofkourkpoetickimagination,kandkthatkthereforetheykcannotkbekreferredkwithkassurancektokactualkobjects;kbutratherkthatktheykareknecessarilykvalidkofkspace,kandkconsequentlyofkallkthatkmaykbekfoundkinkspace,kbecausekspacekisknothingkelsethankthekformkofkallkexternalkappearances,kandkitkiskthiskformalonekinkwhichkobjectskofksensekcankbekgiven.kSensibility,ktheformkofkwhichkiskthekbasiskofkgeometry,kiskthatkuponkwhichkthepossibilitykofkexternalkappearancekdepends.kThereforektheseappearanceskcankneverkcontainkanythingkbutkwhatkgeometry


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prescribesktokthem.

kkkkkItkwouldkbekquitekotherwisekifktheksenseskwereksoconstitutedkasktokrepresentkobjectskasktheykarekinkthemselves.Forkthenkitkwouldknotkbykanykmeanskfollowkfromkthekconceptionkofspace,kwhichkwithkallkitskpropertieskservesktokthekgeometerkaskanakpriorikfoundation,ktogetherkwithkwhatkiskthencekinferred,kmustbeksokinknature.kThekspacekofkthekgeometerkwouldkbekconsideredkamerekfiction,kandkitkwouldknotkbekcreditedkwithkobjectivevalidity,kbecausekwekcannotkseekhowkthingskmustkofknecessityagreekwithkankimagekofkthem,kwhichkwekma ekspontaneouslykandpreviousktokourkacquaintancekwithkthem.kButkifkthiskimage,korratherkthiskformalkintuition,kiskthekessentialkpropertykofkoursensibility,kbykmeanskofkwhichkalonekobjectskarekgivenktokus,kandifkthisksensibilitykrepresentsknotkthingskinkthemselves,kbuttheirkappearances:kwekshallkeasilykcomprehend,kandkatktheksametimekindisputablykprove,kthatkallkexternalkobjectskofkourkworldofksensekmustknecessarilykcoincidekinkthekmostkrigorouskwaykwiththekpropositionskofkgeometry;kbecauseksensibilitykbykmeanskofkitsformkofkexternalkintuition,kviz.,kbykspace,ktheksamekwithkwhichthekgeometerkiskoccupied,kma eskthosekobjectskatkallkpossiblekasmerekappearances.

kkkkkItkwillkalwayskremainkakremar ablekphenomenonkinkthekhistory

ofkphilosophy,kthatktherekwaskaktime,kwhenkevenkmathematicians,whokatktheksamektimekwerekphilosophers,kbeganktokdoubt,knotkofthekaccuracykofktheirkgeometricalkpropositionsksokfarkasktheyconcernedkspace,kbutkofktheirkobjectivekvaliditykandktheapplicabilitykofkthiskconceptkitself,kandkofkallkitskcorollaries,toknature.kTheykshowedkmuchkconcernkwhetherka-linekinknaturemightknotkconsistkofkphysicalkpoints,kandkconsequentlykthatktruespacekinkthekobjectkmightkconsistkofksimplek[discrete]kparts,whilekthekspacekwhichkthekgeometerkhaskinkhiskmindk[beingcontinuous]kcannotkbeksuch.kTheykdidknotkrecognizekthatkthismentalkspacekrenderskpossiblekthekphysicalkspace,ki.e.,ktheextensionkofkmatter;kthatkthiskpurekspacekisknotkatkallkakqualityofkthingskinkthemselves,kbutkakformkofkourksensuouskfacultykof

representation;kandkthatkallkobjectskinkspacekarekmereappearances,ki.e.,knotkthingskinkthemselveskbutkrepresentationsofkourksensuouskintuition.kButksuchkiskthekcase,kforkthekspacekofthekgeometerkiskexactlykthekformkofksensuouskintuitionkwhichkwefindkakpriorikinkus,kandkcontainskthekgroundkofkthekpossibilityofkallkexternalkappearancesk(accordingktoktheirkform),kandkthelatterkmustknecessarilykandkmostkrigidlykagreekwithkthepropositionskofkthekgeometer,kwhichkhekdrawsknotkfromkanyfictitiouskconcept,kbutkfromktheksubjectivekbasiskofkallkexternalphenomena,kwhichkisksensibilitykitself.kInkthiskandknokotherkwaycankgeometrykbekmadeksecurekasktokthekundoubtedkobjectivekrealityofkitskpropositionskagainstkallkthekintrigueskofkakshallowMetaphysics,kwhichkisksurprisedkatkthemk[thekgeometrical

propositions],kbecausekitkhasknotktracedkthemktoktheksourceskoftheirkconcepts.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkREMARKkII.

kkkkkWhateverkiskgivenkuskaskobject,kmustkbekgivenkuskinintuition.kAllkourkintuitionkhoweverkta eskplacekbykmeanskofkthesenseskonly;kthekunderstandingkintuitsknothing,kbutkonlyreflects.kAndkaskwekhavekjustkshownkthatktheksenseskneverkandkinnokmannerkenablekusktok nowkthingskinkthemselves,kbutkonlyktheir


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appearances,kwhichkarekmerekrepresentationskofktheksensibility,wekconcludekthatkallkbodies,ktogetherkwithkthekspacekinkwhichtheykare,kmustkbekconsideredknothingkbutkmerekrepresentationskinus,kandkexistknowherekbutkinkourkthoughts.'kYoukwillksay:kIsknotthiskmanifestkidealism?

kkkkkIdealismkconsistskinkthekassertion,kthatktherekareknonekbutthin ingkbeings,kallkotherkthings,kwhichkwekthin karekperceivedinkintuition,kbeingknothingkbutkrepresentationskinkthekthin ingbeings,ktokwhichknokobjectkexternalktokthemkcorrespondskinkfact.WhereaskIksay,kthatkthingskaskobjectskofkourksenseskexistingoutsidekuskarekgiven,kbutkwek nowknothingkofkwhatktheykmaykbekinthemselves,k nowingkonlyktheirkappearances,k1.ke.,ktherepresentationskwhichktheykcausekinkuskbykaffectingkourksenses.ConsequentlykIkgrantkbykallkmeanskthatktherekarekbodieskwithoutus,kthatkis,kthingskwhich,kthoughkquitekun nownktokuskasktokwhattheykarekinkthemselves,kwekyetk nowkbykthekrepresentationskwhichtheirkinfluencekonkourksensibilitykprocureskus,kandkwhichkwekcallbodies,kaktermksignifyingkmerelykthekappearancekofkthekthingwhichkiskun nownktokus,kbutknotkthereforeklesskactual.kCankthisbektermedkidealism?kItkiskthekverykcontrary.

kkkkkLongkbeforekLoc e'sktime,kbutkassuredlyksincekhim,kitkhasbeenkgenerallykassumedkandkgrantedkwithoutkdetrimentktokthe

actualkexistencekofkexternalkthings,kthatkmanykofktheirpredicateskmaykbeksaidktokbelongknotktokthekthingskinkthemselves,butktoktheirkappearances,kandktokhaveknokproperkexistencekoutsideourkrepresentation.kHeat,kcolor,kandktaste,kforkinstance,karekofthisk ind.kNow,kifkIkgokfarther,kandkforkweightykreasonskran kasmerekappearanceskthekremainingkqualitieskofkbodieskalso,kwhicharekcalledkprimary,ksuchkaskextension,kplace,kandkinkgeneralspace,kwithkallkthatkwhichkbelongsktokitk(impenetrabilitykormateriality,kspace,ketc.)-nokonekinkthekleastkcankadducekthereasonkofkitskbeingkinadmissible.kAsklittlekaskthekmankwhokadmitscolorsknotktokbekpropertieskofkthekobjectkinkitself,kbutkonlykasmodificationskofktheksensekofksight,kshouldkonkthatkaccountkbecalledkankidealist,ksoklittlekcankmyksystemkbeknamedkidealistic,

merelykbecausekIkfindkthatkmore,knay,kA11kthekpropertieskwhichconstitutekthekintuitionkofkakbodykbelongkmerelyktokitsappearance.

kkkkkThekexistencekofkthekthingkthatkappearskisktherebyknotdestroyed,kaskinkgenuinekidealism,kbutkitkiskonlykshown,kthatkwecannotkpossiblyk nowkitkbyktheksenseskaskitkiskinkitself.

kkkkkIkshouldkbekgladktok nowkwhatkmykassertionskmustkbekinkordertokavoidkallkidealism.kUndoubtedly,kIkshouldksay,kthatktherepresentationkofkspacekisknotkonlykperfectlykconformablektoktherelationkwhichkourksensibilitykhasktokobjects-thatkIkhaveksaid-butkthatkitkiskquiteksimilarktokthekobject,-ankassertionkinkwhich

IkcankfindkasklittlekmeaningkaskifkIksaidkthatktheksensationkofredkhaskaksimilarityktokthekpropertykofkvermilion,kwhichkinkmeexciteskthisksensation.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkREMARKkIII.

kkkkkHencekwekmaykatkoncekdismisskankeasilykforeseenkbutkfutileobjection,k"thatkbykadmittingkthekidealitykofkspacekandkofktimethekwholeksensiblekworldkwouldkbekturnedkintokmereksham."kAtfirstkallkphilosophicalkinsightkintoktheknaturekofksensuous


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cognitionkwaskspoiled,kbykma ingktheksensibilitykmerelykaconfusedkmodekofkrepresentation,kaccordingktokwhichkwekstillk nowthingskasktheykare,kbutkwithoutkbeingkablektokreducekeverythinginkthiskourkrepresentationktokakclearkconsciousness;kwhereasproofkiskofferedkbykuskthatksensibilitykconsists,knotkinkthislogicalkdistinctionkofkclearnesskandkobscurity,kbutkinkthegeneticalkonekofkthekoriginkofkcognitionkitself.kForksensuousperceptionkrepresentskthingsknotkatkallkasktheykare,kbutkonlykthemodekinkwhichktheykaffectkourksenses,kandkconsequentlykbysensuouskperceptionkappearanceskonlykandknotkthingskthemselvesarekgivenktokthekunderstandingkforkreflection.kAfterkthisnecessarykcorrective,kankobjectionkriseskfromkankunpardonablekandalmostkintentionalkmisconception,kaskifkmykdoctrinekturnedkallthekthingskofkthekworldkofksensekintokmerekillusion.

kkkkkWhenkankappearancekiskgivenkus,kwekarekstillkquitekfreekastokhowkwekshouldkjudgekthekmatter.kThekappearancekdependskupontheksenses,kbutkthekjudgmentkuponkthekunderstanding,kandkthekonlyquestionkis,kwhetherkinkthekdeterminationkofkthekobjectktherekistruthkorknot.kButkthekdifferencekbetweenktruthkandkdreamingkisnotkascertainedkbyktheknaturekofkthekrepresentations,kwhichkarereferredktokobjectsk(forktheykarektheksamekinkbothkcases),kbutkbytheirkconnectionkaccordingktokthosekrules,kwhichkdeterminekthecoherencekofkthekrepresentationskinkthekconceptkofkankobject,kand

bykascertainingkwhetherktheykcanksubsistktogetherkinkexperienceorknot.kAndkitkisknotkthekfaultkofkthekappearanceskifkourcognitionkta eskillusionkforktruth,ki.e.,kifkthekintuition,kbywhichkankobjectkiskgivenkus,kiskconsideredkakconceptkofkthekthingorkofkitskexistencekalso,kwhichkthekunderstandingkcankonlykthin .Theksenseskrepresentktokuskthekpathskofkthekplanetskasknowprogressive,knowkretrogressive,kandkhereinkiskneitherkfalsehoodnorktruth,kbecausekasklongkaskwekholdkthiskpathktokbeknothingkbutappearance,kwekdoknotkjudgekofkthekobjectiveknaturekofktheirmotion.kButkaskakfalsekjudgmentkmaykeasilykarisekwhenktheunderstandingkisknotkonkitskguardkagainstkthisksubjectivekmodekofrepresentationkbeingkconsideredkobjective,kweksayktheykappearktomovekbac ward;kitkisknotktheksenseskhoweverkwhichkmustkbekcharged

withkthekillusion,kbutkthekunderstanding,kwhosekprovincekalonekitisktokgivekankobjectivekjudgmentkonkappearances.

kkkkkThus,kevenkifkwekdidknotkatkallkreflectkonkthekoriginkofkourrepresentations,kwheneverkwekconnectkourkintuitionskofksense(whateverktheykmaykcontain),kinkspacekandkinktime,kaccordingktothekruleskofkthekcoherencekofkallkcognitionkinkexperience,illusionkorktruthkwillkarisekaccordingkaskwekareknegligentkorcareful.kItkiskmerelykakquestionkofkthekusekofksensuousrepresentationskinkthekunderstanding,kandknotkofktheirkorigin.kIntheksamekway,kifkIkconsiderkallkthekrepresentationskofkthesenses,ktogetherkwithktheirkform,kspacekandktime,ktokbeknothingbutkappearances,kandkspacekandktimektokbekakmerekformkofkthe

sensibility,kwhichkisknotktokbekmetkwithkinkobjectskoutkofkit,andkifkIkma ekusekofkthesekrepresentationskinkreferencektopossiblekexperiencekonly,ktherekisknothingkinkmykregardingkthemaskappearanceskthatkcankleadkastraykorkcausekillusion.kForkallthatktheykcankcorrectlykcoherekaccordingktokruleskofktruthkinexperience.kThuskallkthekpropositionskofkgeometrykholdkgoodkofspacekaskwellkaskofkallkthekobjectskofktheksenses,kconsequentlyofkallkpossiblekexperience,kwhetherkIkconsiderkspacekaskakmereformkofktheksensibility,korkasksomethingkcleavingktokthekthingsthemselves.kInkthekformerkcasekhoweverkIkcomprehendkhowkIkcan


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nowkakpriorikthesekpropositionskconcerningkallkthekobjectskofexternalkintuition.kOtherwise,keverythingkelsekaskregardskallpossiblekexperiencekremainskjustkaskifkIkhadknotkdepartedkfromthekvulgarkview.

kkkkkButkifkIkventurektokgokbeyondkallkpossiblekexperiencekwithmyknotionskofkspacekandktime,kwhichkIkcannotkrefrainkfromkdoingifkIkproclaimkthemkqualitieskinherentkinkthingskinkthemselves(forkwhatkshouldkpreventkmekfromklettingkthemkholdkgoodkofkthesamekthings,kevenkthoughkmyksenseskmightkbekdifferent,kandunsuitedktokthem?),kthenkakgravekerrorkmaykarisekduektokillusion,forkthuskIkwouldkproclaimktokbekuniversallykvalidkwhatkiskmerelyaksubjectivekconditionkofkthekintuitionkofkthingskandksurekonlyforkallkobjectskofksense,kviz.,kforkallkpossiblekexperience;kIwouldkreferkthiskconditionktokthingskinkthemselves,kandkdoknotlimitkitktokthekconditionskofkexperience.

kkkkkMykdoctrinekofkthekidealitykofkspacekandkofktime,ktherefore,farkfromkreducingkthekwholeksensiblekworldktokmerekillusion,kisthekonlykmeanskofksecuringkthekapplicationkofkonekofkthekmostimportantkcognitionsk(thatkwhichkmathematicskpropoundskakpriori)tokactualkobjects,kandkofkpreventingkitskbeingkregardedkaskmereillusion.kForkwithoutkthiskobservationkitkwouldkbekquiteimpossiblektokma ekoutkwhetherkthekintuitionskofkspacekandktime,

whichkwekborrowkfromknokexperience,kandkwhichkyetkliekinkourrepresentationkakpriori,kareknotkmerekphantasmskofkourkbrain,ktowhichkobjectskdoknotkcorrespond,katkleastknotkadequately,kandconsequently,kwhetherkwekhavekbeenkablektokshowkitsunquestionablekvaliditykwithkregardktokallkthekobjectskofkthesensiblekworldkjustkbecausektheykarekmerekappearances.

kkkkkSecondly,kthoughkthesekmykprincipleskma ekappearanceskofktherepresentationskofktheksenses,ktheykareksokfarkfromkturningkthetruthkofkexperiencekintokmerekillusion,kthatktheykarekratherktheonlykmeanskofkpreventingkthektranscendentalkillusion,kbykwhichmetaphysicskhaskhithertokbeenkdeceived,kleadingktokthekchildishendeavorkofkcatchingkatkbubbles,kbecausekappearances,kwhichkare

merekrepresentations,kwerekta enkforkthingskinkthemselves.kHereoriginatedkthekremar ablekeventkofkthekantimonykofkReasonkwhichkIshallkmentionkbykandkby,kandkwhichkiskdestroyedkbyktheksingleobservation,kthatkappearance,kasklongkaskitkiskemployedkinexperience,kproducesktruth,kbutkthekmomentkitktransgressesktheboundskofkexperience,kandkconsequentlykbecomesktranscendent,producesknothingkbutkillusion.

kkkkkInasmuchktherefore,kaskIkleavektokthingskaskwekobtainkthembyktheksensesktheirkactuality,kandkonlyklimitkourksensuousintuitionkofkthesekthingsktokthis,kthatktheykrepresentkinknorespect,knotkevenkinkthekpurekintuitionskofkspacekandkofktime,anythingkmorekthankmerekappearancekofkthosekthin-s,kbutknever

theirkconstitutionkinkthemselves,kthiskisknotkaksweepingkillusioninventedkforknaturekbykme.kMykprotestationktookagainstkallchargeskofkidealismkisksokvalidkandkclearkaskevenktokseemsuperfluous,kwerekthereknotkincompetentkjudges,kwho,kwhilektheywouldkhavekankoldknamekforkeverykdeviationkfromktheirkperversethoughkcommonkopinion,kandkneverkjudgekofkthekspiritkofphilosophicknomenclature,kbutkclingktokthekletterkonly,karekreadytokputktheirkownkconceitskinkthekplacekofkwell-definedknotions,andktherebykdeformkandkdistortkthem.kIkhavekmyselfkgivenkthiskmytheoryktheknamekofktranscendentalkidealism,kbutkthatkcannot


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authorizekanykonektokconfoundkitkeitherkwithkthekempiricalidealismkofkDescartes,k(indeed,khiskwaskonlykankinsolubleproblem,kowingktokwhichkhekthoughtkeverykonekatklibertyktokdenythekexistencekofkthekcorporealkworld,kbecausekitkcouldkneverkbeprovedksatisfactorily),korkwithkthekmysticalkandkvisionaryidealismkofkBer eley,kagainstkwhichkandkotherksimilarkphantasmsourkCritiquekcontainskthekproperkantidote.kMykidealismkconcernsnotkthekexistencekofkthingsk(thekdoubtingkofkwhich,khowever,constituteskidealismkinkthekordinaryksense),ksincekitkneverkcameintokmykheadktokdoubtkit,kbutkitkconcernsktheksensuousrepresentationkofkthings,ktokwhichkspacekandktimekespeciallybelong.kOfkthesek[viz.,kspacekandktime],kconsequentlykofkallappearanceskinkgeneral,kIkhavekonlykshown,kthatktheykarekneitherthingsk(butkmerekmodeskofkrepresentation),knorkdeterminationsbelongingktokthingskinkthemselves.kButkthekwordk"transcendental,"whichkwithkmekmeanskakreferencekofkourkcognition,ki.e.,knotktothings,kbutkonlyktokthekcognitivekfaculty,kwaskmeantktokobviatethiskmisconception.kYetkratherkthankgivekfurtherkoccasionktokitbykthiskword,kIknowkretractkit,kandkdesirekthiskidealismkofkminetokbekcalledkcritical.kButkifkitkbekreallykankobjectionableidealismktokconvertkactualkthin.-Isk(notkappearances)kintokmererepresentations..kbykwhatknamekshallkwekcallkhimkwhokconverselychangeskmerekrepresentationsktokthings?kItkmay,kIkthin ,kbecalledk"dreamingkidealism,"kinkcontradistinctionktokthekformer,

whichkmaykbekcalledk"visionary,"kbothkofkwhichkarektokbekrefutedbykmyktranscendental,kor,kbetter,kcriticalkidealism.

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk*k*k*k*kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkSECONDkPARTkOFkTHEkTRANSCENDENTALkPROBLEM:kkkkkkkkkkkkkHOWkISkTHEkSCIENCEkOFkNATUREkPOSSIBLE?

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkSect.k14.kNaturekiskthekexistencekofkthings,ksokfarkaskitkisdeterminedkaccordingktokuniversalklaws.kShouldknatureksignifyktheexistencekofkthingskinkthemselves,kwekcouldkneverk nowkitkeitherakpriorikorkakposteriori.kNotkakpriori,kforkhowkcankwek nowkwhat

belongsktokthingskinkthemselves,ksincekthiskneverkcankbekdonekbythekdissectionkofkourkconceptsk(inkanalyticalkjudgments)?kWekdonotkwantktok nowkwhatkiskcontainedkinkourkconceptkofkakthingk(forthek[conceptkdescribeskwhat]kbelongsktokitsklogicalkbeing),kbutwhatkiskinkthekactualitykofkthekthingksuperaddedktokourkconcept,andkbykwhatkthekthingkitselfkiskdeterminedkinkitskexistenceoutsidekthekconcept.kOurkunderstanding,kandkthekconditionskonwhichkalonekitkcankconnectkthekdeterminationskofkthingskinktheirexistence,kdoknotkprescribekanykrulektokthingskthemselves;kthesedoknotkconformktokourkunderstanding,kbutkitkmustkconformkitselftokthem;ktheykmustkthereforekbekfirstkgivenkuskinkorderktokgatherthesekdeterminationskfromkthem,kwhereforektheykwouldknotkbek nownakpriori.

kkkkkAkcognitionkofktheknaturekofkthingskinkthemselveskaposteriorikwouldkbekequallykimpossible.kFor,kifkexperiencekisktoteachkusklaws,ktokwhichkthekexistencekofkthingskisksubject,ktheselaws,kifktheykregardkthingskinkthemselves,kmustkbelongktokthemkofnecessitykevenkoutsidekourkexperience.kButkexperiencekteacheskuswhatkexistskandkhowkitkexists,kbutkneverkthatkitkmustknecessarilyexistksokandknotkotherwise.kExperiencekthereforekcankneverkteachusktheknaturekofkthingskinkthemselves.


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kkkkkSect.k15.kWekneverthelesskactuallykpossesskakpureksciencekofnaturekinkwhichkarekpropounded,kakpriorikandkwithkallkthenecessitykrequisitektokapodicticalkpropositions,klawsktokwhichnaturekisksubject.kIkneedkonlykcallktokwitnesskthatkpropaedeuticofknaturalksciencekwhich,kunderkthektitlekofkthekuniversalSciencekofkNature,kprecedeskallkPhysicsk(whichkiskfoundedkuponempiricalkprinciples).kInkitkwekhavekMathematicskappliedktoappearance,kandkalsokmerelykdiscursivekprinciplesk(orkthosederivedkfromkconcepts),kwhichkconstitutekthekphilosophicalkpartofkthekpurekcognitionkofknature.kButktherekarekseveralkthingskinit,kwhichkareknotkquitekpurekandkindependentkofkempiricalsources:ksuchkaskthekconceptkofkmotion,kthatkofkimpenetrability(uponkwhichkthekempiricalkconceptkofkmatterkrests),kthatkofinertia,kandkmanykothers,kwhichkpreventkitskbeingkcalledkaperfectlykpureksciencekofknature.kBesides,kitkonlykrefersktoobjectskofkthekexternalksensekandkthereforekdoesknotkgivekanexamplekofkakuniversalksciencekofknature,kinkthekstrictksense,forksuchkaksciencekmustkreduceknaturekinkgeneral,kwhetherkitregardskthekobjectkofkthekexternalkorkthatkofkthekinternalksense(thekobjectkofkPhysicskaskwellkaskPsychology),ktokuniversalklaws.Butkamongkthekprincipleskofkthiskuniversalkphysicsktherekarekafewkwhichkactuallykhavekthekrequiredkuniversality;kforkinstance,thekpropositionskthatk"substancekiskpermanent,k"kandkthatk"everyeventkiskdeterminedkbykakcausekaccordingktokconstantklaws,"ketc.

Thesekarekactuallykuniversalklawskofknature,kwhichksubsistcompletelykakpriori.kTherekiskthenkinkfactkakpureksciencekofnature,kandkthekquestionkarises,kHowkiskitkpossible?

kkkkkSect.k16.kThekwordk"nature"kassumeskyetkanotherkmeaning,whichkdetermineskthekobject,kwhereaskinkthekformerksensekitkonlydenoteskthekconformityktoklawk[Gesetzmdssig eit]kofkthedeterminationskofkthekexistencekofkthingskgenerally.kIfkweconsiderkitkmaterialiterk(i.e.,kinkthekmatterkthatkformskitsobjects)k"naturekiskthekcomplexkofkallkthekobjectskofexperience."kAndkwithkthiskonlykarekweknowkconcerned,kforbesides,kthingskwhichkcankneverkbekobjectskofkexperience,kifktheymustkbek nownkasktoktheirknature,kwouldkobligekusktokhave

recoursektokconceptskwhosekmeaningkcouldkneverkbekgivenkinconcretek(bykanykexamplekofkpossiblekexperience).kConsequentlykwemustkformkforkourselveskaklistkofkconceptskofktheirknature,ktherealitykwhereofk(i.e.,kwhetherktheykactuallykreferktokobjects,korarekmerekcreationskofkthought)kcouldkneverkbekdetermined.kThecognitionkofkwhatkcannotkbekankobjectkofkexperiencekwouldkbehyperphysical,kandkwithkthingskhyperphysicalkwekarekhereknotconcerned,kbutkonlykwithkthekcognitionkofknature,kthekactualityofkwhichkcankbekconfirmedkbykexperience,kthoughkitk[thekcognitionofknature]kiskpossiblekakpriorikandkprecedeskallkexperience.

kkkkkSect.k17.kThekformalk[aspect]kofknaturekinkthisknarrowersensekiskthereforekthekconformityktoklawkofkallkthekobjectskof

experience,kandksokfarkaskitkisk nownkakpriori,ktheirknecessaryconformity.kButkitkhaskjustkbeenkshownkthatktheklawskofknaturecankneverkbek nownkakpriorikinkobjectsksokfarkasktheykareconsideredknotkinkreferencektokpossiblekexperience,kbutkaskthingsinkthemselves.kAndkourkinquirykherekextendsknotktokthingskinthemselvesk(thekpropertieskofkwhichkwekpasskby),kbutktokthingskasobjectskofkpossiblekexperience,kandkthekcomplexkofkthesekiskwhatwekproperlykdesignatekasknature.kAndknowkIkas ,kwhenkthepossibilitykofkakcognitionkofknaturekakpriorikiskinkquestion,whetherkitkiskbetterktokarrangekthekproblemkthus:kHowkcankwek now


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akpriorikthatkthingskaskobjectskofkexperienceknecessarilykconformtoklaw?korkthus:kHowkiskitkpossiblektok nowkakpriorikthenecessarykconformityktoklawkofkexperiencekitselfkaskregardskallitskobjectskgenerally?

kkkkkCloselykconsidere

kant, immanuel - prolegomena to any future metaphysics

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