the critique of pure reason-第117节

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sufficient　grounds　to　admit　something；　or　the　existence　of

something；　in　a　relative　point　of　view　（suppositio　relativa）；

without　being　justified　in　admitting　it　in　an　absolute　sense

（suppositio　absoluta）。　This　distinction　is　undoubtedly　requisite；　in

the　case　of　a　regulative　principle；　the　necessity　of　which　we

recognize；　though　we　are　ignorant　of　the　source　and　cause　of　that

necessity；　and　which　we　assume　to　be　based　upon　some　ultimate

ground；　for　the　purpose　of　being　able　to　cogitate　the　universality

of　the　principle　in　a　more　determinate　way。　For　example；　I　cogitate

the　existence　of　a　being　corresponding　to　a　pure　transcendental

idea。　But　I　cannot　admit　that　this　being　exists　absolutely　and　in

itself；　because　all　of　the　conceptions　by　which　I　can　cogitate　an

object　in　a　determinate　manner　fall　short　of　assuring　me　of　its

existence；　nay；　the　conditions　of　the　objective　validity　of　my

conceptions　are　excluded　by　the　idea…　by　the　very　fact　of　its　being　an

idea。　The　conceptions　of　reality；　substance；　causality；　nay；　even　that

of　necessity　in　existence；　have　no　significance　out　of　the　sphere　of

empirical　cognition；　and　cannot；　beyond　that　sphere；　determine　any

object。　They　may；　accordingly；　be　employed　to　explain　the

possibility　of　things　in　the　world　of　sense；　but　they　are　utterly

inadequate　to　explain　the　possibility　of　the　universe　itself

considered　as　a　whole；　because　in　this　case　the　ground　of

explanation　must　lie　out　of　and　beyond　the　world；　and　cannot；

therefore；　be　an　object　of　possible　experience。　Now；　I　may　admit　the

existence　of　an　incomprehensible　being　of　this　nature…　the　object　of　a

mere　idea；　relatively　to　the　world　of　sense；　although　I　have　no　ground

to　admit　its　existence　absolutely　and　in　itself。　For　if　an　idea

（that　of　a　systematic　and　complete　unity；　of　which　I　shall　presently

speak　more　particularly）　lies　at　the　foundation　of　the　most　extended

empirical　employment　of　reason；　and　if　this　idea　cannot　be

adequately　represented　in　concreto；　although　it　is　indispensably

necessary　for　the　approximation　of　empirical　unity　to　the　highest

possible　degree…　I　am　not　only　authorized；　but　compelled；　to　realize

this　idea；　that　is；　to　posit　a　real　object　corresponding　thereto。

But　I　cannot　profess　to　know　this　object；　it　is　to　me　merely　a

something；　to　which；　as　the　ground　of　systematic　unity　in　cognition；　I

attribute　such　properties　as　are　analogous　to　the　conceptions　employed

by　the　understanding　in　the　sphere　of　experience。　Following　the

analogy　of　the　notions　of　reality；　substance；　causality；　and

necessity；　I　cogitate　a　being；　which　possesses　all　these　attributes　in

the　highest　degree；　and；　as　this　idea　is　the　offspring　of　my　reason

alone；　I　cogitate　this　being　as　self…subsistent　reason；　and　as　the

cause　of　the　universe　operating　by　means　of　ideas　of　the　greatest

possible　harmony　and　unity。　Thus　I　abstract　all　conditions　that

would　limit　my　idea；　solely　for　the　purpose　of　rendering　systematic

unity　possible　in　the　world　of　empirical　diversity；　and　thus

securing　the　widest　possible　extension　for　the　exercise　of　reason　in

that　sphere。　This　I　am　enabled　to　do；　by　regarding　all　connections　and

relations　in　the　world　of　sense；　as　if　they　were　the　dispositions　of　a

supreme　reason；　of　which　our　reason　is　but　a　faint　image。　I　then

proceed　to　cogitate　this　Supreme　Being　by　conceptions　which　have；

properly；　no　meaning　or　application；　except　in　the　world　of　sense。　But

as　I　am　authorized　to　employ　the　transcendental　hypothesis　of　such　a

being　in　a　relative　respect　alone；　that　is；　as　the　substratum　of　the

greatest　possible　unity　in　experience…　I　may　attribute　to　a　being

which　I　regard　as　distinct　from　the　world；　such　properties　as　belong

solely　to　the　sphere　of　sense　and　experience。　For　I　do　not　desire；　and

am　not　justified　in　desiring；　to　cognize　this　object　of　my　idea；　as　it

exists　in　itself；　for　I　possess　no　conceptions　sufficient　for　or　task；

those　of　reality；　substance；　causality；　nay；　even　that　of　necessity　in

existence；　losing　all　significance；　and　becoming　merely　the　signs　of

conceptions；　without　content　and　without　applicability；　when　I　attempt

to　carry　them　beyond　the　limits　of　the　world　of　sense。　I　cogitate

merely　the　relation　of　a　perfectly　unknown　being　to　the　greatest

possible　systematic　unity　of　experience；　solely　for　the　purpose　of

employing　it　as　the　schema　of　the　regulative　principle　which　directs

reason　in　its　empirical　exercise。

　　It　is　evident；　at　the　first　view；　that　we　cannot　presuppose　the

reality　of　this　transcendental　object；　by　means　of　the　conceptions

of　reality；　substance；　causality；　and　so　on；　because　these　conceptions

cannot　be　applied　to　anything　that　is　distinct　from　the　world　of

sense。　Thus　the　supposition　of　a　Supreme　Being　or　cause　is　purely

relative；　it　is　cogitated　only　in　behalf　of　the　systematic　unity　of

experience；　such　a　being　is　but　a　something；　of　whose　existence　in

itself　we　have　not　the　least　conception。　Thus；　too；　it　becomes

sufficiently　manifest　why　we　required　the　idea　of　a　necessary　being　in

relation　to　objects　given　by　sense；　although　we　can　never　have　the

least　conception　of　this　being；　or　of　its　absolute　necessity。

　　And　now　we　can　clearly　perceive　the　result　of　our　transcendental

dialectic；　and　the　proper　aim　of　the　ideas　of　pure　reason…　which

become　dialectical　solely　from　misunderstanding　and　inconsiderateness。

Pure　reason　is；　in　fact；　occupied　with　itself；　and　not　with　any

object。　Objects　are　not　presented　to　it　to　be　embraced　in　the　unity　of

an　empirical　conception；　it　is　only　the　cognitions　of　the

understanding　that　are　presented　to　it；　for　the　purpose　of　receiving

the　unity　of　a　rational　conception；　that　is；　of　being　connected

according　to　a　principle。　The　unity　of　reason　is　the　unity　of

system；　and　this　systematic　unity　is　not　an　objective　principle；

extending　its　dominion　over　objects；　but　a　subjective　maxim；　extending

its　authority　over　the　empirical　cognition　of　objects。　The

systematic　connection　which　reason　gives　to　the　empirical　employment

of　the　understanding　not　only　advances　the　extension　of　that

employment；　but　ensures　its　correctness；　and　thus　the　principle　of　a

systematic　unity　of　this　nature　is　also　objective；　although　only　in　an

indefinite　respect　（principium　vagum）。　It　is　not；　however；　a

constitutive　principle；　determining　an　object　to　which　it　directly

relates；　it　is　merely　a　regulative　principle　or　maxim；　advancing　and

strengthening　the　empirical　exercise　of　reason；　by　the　opening　up　of

new　paths　of　which　the　understanding　is　ignorant；　while　it　never

conflicts　with　the　laws　of　its　exercise　in　the　sphere　of　experience。

　　But　reason　cannot　cogitate　this　systematic　unity；　without　at　the

same　time　cogitating　an　object　of　the　idea…　an　object　that　cannot　be

presented　in　any　experience；　which　contains　no　concrete　example　of　a

complete　systematic　unity。　This　being　（ens　rationis　ratiocinatae）　is

therefore　a　mere　idea　and　is　not　assumed　to　be　a　thing　which　is　real

absolutely　and　in　itself。　On　the　contrary；　it　forms　merely　the

problematical　foundation　of　the　connection　which　the　mind　introduces

among　the　phenomena　of　the　sensuous　world。　We　look　upon　this

connection；　in　the　light　of　the　above…mentioned　idea；　as　if　it　drew

its　origin　from　the　supposed　being　which　corresponds　to　the　idea。

And　yet　all　we　aim　at　is　the　possession　of　this　idea　as　a　secure

foundation　for　the　systematic　unity　of　experience…　a　unity

indispensable　to　reason；　advantageous　to　the　understanding；　and

promotive　of　the　interests　of　empirical　cognition。

　　We　mistake　the　true　meaning　of　this　idea　when　we　regard　it　as　an

enouncement；　or　even　as　a　hypothetical　declaration　of　the　existence　of

a　real　thing；　which　we　are　to　regard　as　the　origin　or　ground　of　a

systematic　constitution　of　the　universe。　On　the　contrary；　it　is　left

completely　undetermined　what　the　nature　or　properties　of　this

so…called　ground　may　be。　The　idea　is　merely　to　be　adopted　as　a　point

of　view；　from　which　this　unity；　so　essential　to　reason　and　so

beneficial　to　the　understanding；　may　be　regarded　as　radiating。　In

one　word；　this　transcendental　thing　is　merely　the　schema　of　a

regulative　principle；　by　means　of　which　Reason；　so　far　as　in　her　lies；

extends　the　dominion　of　systematic　unity　over　the　whole　sphere　of

experience。

　　The　first　object　of　an　idea　of　this　kind　is　the　ego；　considered

merely　as　a　thinking　nature　or　soul。　If　I　wish　to　investigate　the

properties　of　a　thinking　being；　I　must　interrogate　experience。　But　I

find　that　I　can　apply　none　of　the　categories　to　this　object；　the

schema　of　these　categories；　which　is　the　condition　of　their

application；　being　given　only　in　sensuous　intuition。　But　I　cannot　thus

attain　to　the　cognition　of　a　systematic　unity　of　all　the　phenomena

of　the　internal　sense。　Instead；　therefore；　of　an　empirical

conception　of　what　the　soul　really　is；　reason　takes　the　conception

of　the　empirical　unity　of　all　thought；　and；　by　cogit