登陆注册
5419400000131

第131章

The proof in favour of the infinity of the cosmical succession and the cosmical content is based upon the consideration that, in the opposite case, a void time and a void space must constitute the limits of the world.Now I am not unaware, that there are some ways of escaping this conclusion.It may, for example, be alleged, that a limit to the world, as regards both space and time, is quite possible, without at the same time holding the existence of an absolute time before the beginning of the world, or an absolute space extending beyond the actual world- which is impossible.I am quite well satisfied with the latter part of this opinion of the philosophers of the Leibnitzian school.Space is merely the form of external intuition, but not a real object which can itself be externally intuited; it is not a correlate of phenomena, it is the form of phenomena itself.Space, therefore, cannot be regarded as absolutely and in itself something determinative of the existence of things, because it is not itself an object, but only the form of possible objects.Consequently, things, as phenomena, determine space; that is to say, they render it possible that, of all the possible predicates of space (size and relation), certain may belong to reality.But we cannot affirm the converse, that space, as something self-subsistent, can determine real things in regard to size or shape, for it is in itself not a real thing.Space (filled or void)* may therefore be limited by phenomena, but phenomena cannot be limited by an empty space without them.This is true of time also.All this being granted, it is nevertheless indisputable, that we must assume these two nonentities, void space without and void time before the world, if we assume the existence of cosmical limits, relatively to space or time.

*It is evident that what is meant here is, that empty space, in so far as it is limited by phenomena- space, that is, within the world-does not at least contradict transcendental principles, and may therefore, as regards them, be admitted, although its possibility cannot on that account be affirmed.

For, as regards the subterfuge adopted by those who endeavour to evade the consequence- that, if the world is limited as to space and time, the infinite void must determine the existence of actual things in regard to their dimensions- it arises solely from the fact that instead of a sensuous world, an intelligible world- of which nothing is known- is cogitated; instead of a real beginning (an existence, which is preceded by a period in which nothing exists), an existence which presupposes no other condition than that of time;and, instead of limits of extension, boundaries of the universe.But the question relates to the mundus phaenomenon, and its quantity;and in this case we cannot make abstraction of the conditions of sensibility, without doing away with the essential reality of this world itself.The world of sense, if it is limited, must necessarily lie in the infinite void.If this, and with it space as the a priori condition of the possibility of phenomena, is left out of view, the whole world of sense disappears.In our problem is this alone considered as given.The mundus intelligibilis is nothing but the general conception of a world, in which abstraction has been made of all conditions of intuition, and in relation to which no synthetical proposition- either affirmative or negative- is possible.

SECOND CONFLICT OF TRANSCENDENTAL IDEAS.

THESIS.

Every composite substance in the world consists of simple parts; and there exists nothing that is not either itself simple, or composed of simple parts.

PROOF.

For, grant that composite substances do not consist of simple parts;in this case, if all combination or composition were annihilated in thought, no composite part, and (as, by the supposition, there do not exist simple parts) no simple part would exist.Consequently, no substance; consequently, nothing would exist.Either, then, it is impossible to annihilate composition in thought; or, after such annihilation, there must remain something that subsists without composition, that is, something that is simple.But in the former case the composite could not itself consist of substances, because with substances composition is merely a contingent relation, apart from which they must still exist as self-subsistent beings.Now, as this case contradicts the supposition, the second must contain the truth-that the substantial composite in the world consists of simple parts.

It follows, as an immediate inference, that the things in the world are all, without exception, simple beings- that composition is merely an external condition pertaining to them- and that, although we never can separate and isolate the elementary substances from the state of composition, reason must cogitate these as the primary subjects of all composition, and consequently, as prior thereto- and as simple substances.

ANTITHESIS.

No composite thing in the world consists of simple parts; and there does not exist in the world any simple substance.

PROOF.

同类推荐
  • 记游

    记游

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乘义章

    大乘义章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛母经

    佛母经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵枢识

    灵枢识

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 昭觉丈雪醉禅师语录

    昭觉丈雪醉禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 神鬼冥后

    神鬼冥后

    陌鸾是冥界下一任冥王,手中掌管冥界万鬼妖魔。一次冥界大乱时,界境裂开,万鬼妖魔趁乱逃出冥界,她也受到重创,被反噬坠入异界大陆,变成了七八岁的女娃娃。星牟沽源是星牟国的三皇子,传说中的废材,却不知他的灵力已经超越常人,当一人一鬼相遇,他们会擦出什么样的火花。看万鬼如何在她手底俯首称臣,看她如何将异界大陆搅的天翻地覆。
  • 宠妻成瘾之傲娇甜妻哪里逃

    宠妻成瘾之傲娇甜妻哪里逃

    “都给老子滚~别想着把我女儿带走!”苏星气急败坏地要赶这几个黑衣人走。他从早上一直到现在都很懵,难道就因为苏墨帮他还了债,所以他就应该把他最爱的女儿送给他吗?他别觉得自己是苏家中唯一受老太太宠爱的少爷,他就可以为所欲为了,这件事情没有法子可以商量。“是吗?二哥,你是不是忘了你前两天给我签约的协议,里面可是有一条,上面清清楚楚地写着,苏星自愿将顾月薇抚养权交于苏墨……
  • 极道星帝

    极道星帝

    人常言:修真有五道,养生第一招,化神不可少,练气最重要,仙人已逍遥,大罗通天道。众生苦中绕,何日颂天谣?多年以后,陆佑站在帝阙之巅,俯瞰世间百态,常常还能想起这首童谣。他在想,这世间最逍遥,最快活的事,许不是长生,而是有她,有家的日子。
  • 盗亦有道之废材七小姐

    盗亦有道之废材七小姐

    她是一个二十一世纪让人闻风丧胆的怪盗。在一次盗取海洋之心—人鱼的眼泪的任务中,意外来的了一个陌生的世界。在这个陌生的世界中,她竟然是以一个废材的身份存在着,那又如何?她已到来,她不再是她。在她身边出现的一个又一个怪人到底是谁?迷雾层层破开,最后又是什么惊天秘密?
  • 公安卫士的情怀

    公安卫士的情怀

    王华聪是红土地上公安战线的一名领导干部。他异常勤勉,在繁忙的工作之余,牵手缪斯,用心情浸染文字,写下与发表的诗词作品达300余首之多。
  • 惑君

    惑君

    初来乍到,人生地不熟,人为刀俎我为鱼肉,受尽欺凌,既然退无可退,那么,从今往后,我做刀俎,鱼肉他人!==============================***推荐元晞大作《乐为仙》,十分精彩,有你好看!***
  • 难逃君错爱

    难逃君错爱

    (完结文!)她性格多变,喜怒无常。他生性淡泊,无为名利,却偏偏钟情于她。而她根本不记得有他这一个人。对她来说,他只是一枚棋子,为了达到目的,不惜将他推入火坑,甚至牺牲他的性命…
  • 鲁班的诅咒大全集(共5册)

    鲁班的诅咒大全集(共5册)

    《鲁班的诅咒》,带您见识鲁班设计的那些千古难破的杀人武器!历史上真实的鲁班,不仅是木匠祖师,也是暗器与杀戮机关的祖师爷。2500年前,木匠祖师鲁班,在一股脑儿发明锯子、铲子、凿子、刨子、石磨、云梯等伟大工具的同时,也一直在研究战争武器、杀戮机关以及种种不可思议的致命暗器。鲁班的传世奇书《鲁班书》,并不是讲解木工的,而是描述他那些构思巧妙、制作精湛的暗器和杀戮机关。鲁班曾立下诅咒:凡是读懂此书的人,要么丧妻守寡,要么孤老残疾!所以,该书又叫《缺一门》。翻开本书,坐好扶稳,杀戮机关,一触即发!
  • 最后的决赛圈

    最后的决赛圈

    究竟是天命圈还是天谴圈?能预判??他,是一名能够预判天命圈与天谴圈的伏地魔。“再说一句,我不是神仙!”
  • 北宋妻管严

    北宋妻管严

    北宋末年,天下大乱,金国崛起,局势动荡不堪,更是内忧外患,北有梁山起义,南有方腊造反,这是一个英雄辈出的年代,也是一个汉人如狗的屈辱时代在偏远的一处庄子内,名叫祝彪的小人物,从后世穿越而来,碰上了最大的麻烦,自己的未婚妻,居然是扈三娘,一个武力值完爆他的女子于是,祝彪成了名副其实的妻管严,因为,他打不过呀!且看祝彪如果在北宋末年的乱世,以妻管严的名号,名震天下!