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relation to the whole sphere of the exercise of the understanding。

And; finally; they are transcendent; and overstep the limits of all

experiences; in which; consequently; no object can ever be presented

that would be perfectly adequate to a transcendental idea。 When we use

the word idea; we say; as regards its object (an object of the pure

understanding); a great deal; but as regards its subject (that is;

in respect of its reality under conditions of experience); exceedingly

little; because the idea; as the conception of a maximum; can never be

completely and adequately presented in concreto。 Now; as in the merely

speculative employment of reason the latter is properly the sole

aim; and as in this case the approximation to a conception; which is

never attained in practice; is the same thing as if the conception

were non…existent… it is commonly said of the conception of this kind;

〃it is only an idea。〃 So we might very well say; 〃the absolute

totality of all phenomena is only an idea;〃 for; as we never can

present an adequate representation of it; it remains for us a

problem incapable of solution。 On the other hand; as in the

practical use of the understanding we have only to do with action

and practice according to rules; an idea of pure reason can always

be given really in concreto; although only partially; nay; it is the

indispensable condition of all practical employment of reason。 The

practice or execution of the idea is always limited and defective; but

nevertheless within indeterminable boundaries; consequently always

under the influence of the conception of an absolute perfection。 And

thus the practical idea is always in the highest degree fruitful;

and in relation to real actions indispensably necessary。 In the

idea; pure reason possesses even causality and the power of

producing that which its conception contains。 Hence we cannot say of

wisdom; in a disparaging way; 〃it is only an idea。〃 For; for the

very reason that it is the idea of the necessary unity of all possible

aims; it must be for all practical exertions and endeavours the

primitive condition and rule… a rule which; if not constitutive; is at

least limitative。

  Now; although we must say of the transcendental conceptions of

reason; 〃they are only ideas;〃 we must not; on this account; look upon

them as superfluous and nugatory。 For; although no object can be

determined by them; they can be of great utility; unobserved and at

the basis of the edifice of the understanding; as the canon for its

extended and self…consistent exercise… a canon which; indeed; does not

enable it to cognize more in an object than it would cognize by the

help of its own conceptions; but which guides it more securely in

its cognition。 Not to mention that they perhaps render possible a

transition from our conceptions of nature and the non…ego to the

practical conceptions; and thus produce for even ethical ideas

keeping; so to speak; and connection with the speculative cognitions

of reason。 The explication of all this must be looked for in the

sequel。

  But setting aside; in conformity with our original purpose; the

consideration of the practical ideas; we proceed to contemplate reason

in its speculative use alone; nay; in a still more restricted

sphere; to wit; in the transcendental use; and here must strike into

the same path which we followed in our deduction of the categories。

That is to say; we shall consider the logical form of the cognition of

reason; that we may see whether reason may not be thereby a source

of conceptions which enables us to regard objects in themselves as

determined synthetically a priori; in relation to one or other of

the functions of reason。

  Reason; considered as the faculty of a certain logical form of

cognition; is the faculty of conclusion; that is; of mediate

judgement… by means of the subsumption of the condition of a

possible judgement under the condition of a given judgement。 The given

judgement is the general rule (major)。 The subsumption of the

condition of another possible judgement under the condition of the

rule is the minor。 The actual judgement; which enounces the

assertion of the rule in the subsumed case; is the conclusion

(conclusio)。 The rule predicates something generally under a certain

condition。 The condition of the rule is satisfied in some particular

case。 It follows that what was valid in general under that condition

must also be considered as valid in the particular case which

satisfies this condition。 It is very plain that reason attains to a

cognition; by means of acts of the understanding which constitute a

series of conditions。 When I arrive at the proposition; 〃All bodies

are changeable;〃 by beginning with the more remote cognition (in which

the conception of body does not appear; but which nevertheless

contains the condition of that conception); 〃All compound is

changeable;〃 by proceeding from this to a less remote cognition; which

stands under the condition of the former; 〃Bodies are compound;〃 and

hence to a third; which at length connects for me the remote cognition

(changeable) with the one before me; 〃Consequently; bodies are

changeable〃… I have arrived at a cognition (conclusion) through a

series of conditions (premisses)。 Now every series; whose exponent (of

the categorical or hypothetical judgement) is given; can be continued;

consequently the same procedure of reason conducts us to the

ratiocinatio polysyllogistica; which is a series of syllogisms; that

can be continued either on the side of the conditions (per

prosyllogismos) or of the conditioned (per episyllogismos) to an

indefinite extent。

  But we very soon perceive that the chain or series of prosyllogisms;

that is; of deduced cognitions on the side of the grounds or

conditions of a given cognition; in other words; the ascending

series of syllogisms must have a very different relation to the

faculty of reason from that of the descending series; that is; the

progressive procedure of reason on the side of the conditioned by

means of episyllogisms。 For; as in the former case the cognition

(conclusio) is given only as conditioned; reason can attain to this

cognition only under the presupposition that all the members of the

series on the side of the conditions are given (totality in the series

of premisses); because only under this supposition is the judgement we

may be considering possible a priori; while on the side of the

conditioned or the inferences; only an incomplete and becoming; and

not a presupposed or given series; consequently only a potential

progression; is cogitated。 Hence; when a cognition is contemplated

as conditioned; reason is compelled to consider the series of

conditions in an ascending line as completed and given in their

totality。 But if the very same condition is considered at the same

time as the condition of other cognitions; which together constitute a

series of inferences or consequences in a descending line; reason

may preserve a perfect indifference; as to how far this progression

may extend a parte posteriori; and whether the totality of this series

is possible; because it stands in no need of such a series for the

purpose of arriving at the conclusion before it; inasmuch as this

conclusion is sufficiently guaranteed and determined on grounds a

parte priori。 It may be the case; that upon the side of the conditions

the series of premisses has a first or highest condition; or it may

not possess this; and so be a parte priori unlimited; but it must;

nevertheless; contain totality of conditions; even admitting that we

never could succeed in completely apprehending it; and the whole

series must be unconditionally true; if the conditioned; which is

considered as an inference resulting from it; is to be held as true。

This is a requirement of reason; which announces its cognition as

determined a priori and as necessary; either in itself… and in this

case it needs no grounds to rest upon… or; if it is deduced; as a

member of a series of grounds; which is itself unconditionally true。



        SECTION III。 System of Transcendental Ideas。



  We are not at present engaged with a logical dialectic; which

makes complete abstraction of the content of cognition and aims only

at unveiling the illusory appearance in the form of syllogisms。 Our

subject is transcendental dialectic; which must contain; completely

a priori; the origin of certain cognitions drawn from pure reason; and

the origin of certain deduced conceptions; the object of which

cannot be given empirically and which therefore lie beyond the

sphere of the faculty of understanding。 We have observed; from the

natural relation which the transcendental use of our cognition; in

syllogisms as well as in judgements; must have to the logical; that

there are three kinds of dialectical arguments; corresponding to the

three modes of conclusion; by which reason attains to cognitions on

principles; and tha

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