登陆注册
5419400000157

第157章

That element in a sensuous object which is not itself sensuous, Imay be allowed to term intelligible.If, accordingly, an object which must be regarded as a sensuous phenomenon possesses a faculty which is not an object of sensuous intuition, but by means of which it is capable of being the cause of phenomena, the causality of an object or existence of this kind may be regarded from two different points of view.It may be considered to be intelligible, as regards its action- the action of a thing which is a thing in itself, and sensuous, as regards its effects- the effects of a phenomenon belonging to the sensuous world.We should accordingly, have to form both an empirical and an intellectual conception of the causality of such a faculty or power- both, however, having reference to the same effect.This twofold manner of cogitating a power residing in a sensuous object does not run counter to any of the conceptions which we ought to form of the world of phenomena or of a possible experience.Phenomena- not being things in themselves- must have a transcendental object as a foundation, which determines them as mere representations; and there seems to be no reason why we should not ascribe to this transcendental object, in addition to the property of self-phenomenization, a causality whose effects are to be met with in the world of phenomena, although it is not itself a phenomenon.But every effective cause must possess a character, that is to say, a law of its causality, without which it would cease to be a cause.In the above case, then, every sensuous object would possess an empirical character, which guaranteed that its actions, as phenomena, stand in complete and harmonious connection, conformably to unvarying natural laws, with all other phenomena, and can be deduced from these, as conditions, and that they do thus, in connection with these, constitute a series in the order of nature.

This sensuous object must, in the second place, possess an intelligible character, which guarantees it to be the cause of those actions, as phenomena, although it is not itself a phenomenon nor subordinate to the conditions of the world of sense.The former may be termed the character of the thing as a phenomenon, the latter the character of the thing as a thing in itself.

Now this active subject would, in its character of intelligible subject, be subordinate to no conditions of time, for time is only a condition of phenomena, and not of things in themselves.No action would begin or cease to be in this subject; it would consequently be free from the law of all determination of time- the law of change, namely, that everything which happens must have a cause in the phenomena of a preceding state.In one word, the causality of the subject, in so far as it is intelligible, would not form part of the series of empirical conditions which determine and necessitate an event in the world of sense.Again, this intelligible character of a thing cannot be immediately cognized, because we can perceive nothing but phenomena, but it must be capable of being cogitated in harmony with the empirical character; for we always find ourselves compelled to place, in thought, a transcendental object at the basis of phenomena although we can never know what this object is in itself.

In virtue of its empirical character, this subject would at the same time be subordinate to all the empirical laws of causality, and, as a phenomenon and member of the sensuous world, its effects would have to be accounted for by a reference to preceding phenomena.

Eternal phenomena must be capable of influencing it; and its actions, in accordance with natural laws, must explain to us how its empirical character, that is, the law of its causality, is to be cognized in and by means of experience.In a word, all requisites for a complete and necessary determination of these actions must be presented to us by experience.

In virtue of its intelligible character, on the other hand (although we possess only a general conception of this character), the subject must be regarded as free from all sensuous influences, and from all phenomenal determination.Moreover, as nothing happens in this subject- for it is a noumenon, and there does not consequently exist in it any change, demanding the dynamical determination of time, and for the same reason no connection with phenomena as causes- this active existence must in its actions be free from and independent of natural necessity, for or necessity exists only in the world of phenomena.It would be quite correct to say that it originates or begins its effects in the world of sense from itself, although the action productive of these effects does not begin in itself.We should not be in this case affirming that these sensuous effects began to exist of themselves, because they are always determined by prior empirical conditions- by virtue of the empirical character, which is the phenomenon of the intelligible character- and are possible only as constituting a continuation of the series of natural causes.And thus nature and freedom, each in the complete and absolute signification of these terms, can exist, without contradiction or disagreement, in the same action toExposition of the Cosmological Idea of Freedom in Harmony with the Universal Law of Natural Necessity.

I have thought it advisable to lay before the reader at first merely a sketch of the solution of this transcendental problem, in order to enable him to form with greater ease a clear conception of the course which reason must adopt in the solution.I shall now proceed to exhibit the several momenta of this solution, and to consider them in their order.

同类推荐
  • The Dark Flower

    The Dark Flower

    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。
  • 外科传薪集

    外科传薪集

    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。
  • 传家宝

    传家宝

    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。
  • 武林旧事

    武林旧事

    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。
  • 诸病源候论

    诸病源候论

    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
  • 命运之轮(上)

    命运之轮(上)

    从单纯的言情到承载着人类的命运,几次修改,大篇幅的删减使得小说故事情节更为紧凑曲折,人物性格更为丰满生动,叙事更为简练流畅,小说的可读性大大增强。一路走来,作者的思想也同书中的少年主人公一起渐渐走向成熟,完成了从小我到大我的转变。
  • 游缘惊梦

    游缘惊梦

    一个总认为自己最强人品急待提高的小混混,一朝出山,进入到斗气盛行的修炼世界里,高手云集,各显神通。在被一次次狠狠的打击与羞辱之后,小混混开始了非人的集训,杀野鬼,收狐妖,打怪兽,一步步,终走向斗气之巅峰……
  • 秀野林禅师语录

    秀野林禅师语录

    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。
  • 穿越的龙人

    穿越的龙人

    龙者,聚天地之气,自然而生,不老不灭。
  • 尖碑漂流记

    尖碑漂流记

    欢迎来到尖碑世界!文起,我是你的跟随者“毛毛球”尖碑世界,史前恐龙的天下。你要运用人类的智慧、勇气、判断、机敏与运气,生存在这荒芜之地上。请!小心你的背后吧!请!注意你的身体吧!请!打起百分百的精神,应对随时可能发生的死亡实况。晕龙、驯龙、育龙,你要学会利用史前恐龙生存下去。、来吧!我会随你一起,探索尖碑世界,完成尖碑世界中的种种试炼,直到找到回去的路。这里有生死的瞬间;痛苦的挣扎;快乐的回忆;永不言弃的信念。就算是至强者也无法面对霸王龙站在面前那发自内心深处的最原始的恐惧。史前恐龙,洪荒巨兽,渺小的人类,如何找到一线生机?答案就由文起来为您揭晓吧!
  • 邪王霸爱:腹黑萌妃不好惹

    邪王霸爱:腹黑萌妃不好惹

    燕、赵、齐三大国鼎立,燕国境内,有大将军王恒毅,丞相沈枫,国舅赵祁鼎足而立,皇帝年迈,丞相支持的皇长子萧元翊,大将军王支持的皇三子萧元齐,国舅支持的皇五子萧元章开始了夺嫡之战。
  • 石剑仙魂传

    石剑仙魂传

    什么?她居然在新婚之夜逃跑?寒以芯做梦也没想到自己居然会误嫁黑羽魔君。没错,就是传说中的黑蛇。不多说了,逃命要紧。
  • The Heritage of the Sioux

    The Heritage of the Sioux

    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。
  • 至尊鸿途

    至尊鸿途

    这是一个强者为尊的世界,一个弱肉强食的时代。万千种族,无尽位面,数不尽的天才不过世间一粒。尘埃天武大陆,无尽位面之一;一个妖孽般的少年,从贫瘠的世俗走来,一路饮血高歌。药武双修,绝世霸途;踩最强的敌人,战最强的种族;统领人族,踏上巅峰之路!
  • 用爱心拥抱世界的盲聋女作家:海伦·凯勒

    用爱心拥抱世界的盲聋女作家:海伦·凯勒

    本书是人物传记故事,生动地记述了美国女作家、演讲家、教育家、社会活动家海伦·凯勒坎坷的一生。海伦出生后19个月就丧失了视力和听力。然而,在80多年无光、无声的孤独岁月中,她却靠着一颗不屈不挠的心,以惊人的毅力去面对困难,终于用自己的努力,创造了生命的奇迹。她毕业于哈佛大学拉德克利夫学院,并用生命的全部力量投身各种社会活动,经常四处演讲,奔走于世界各地,致力于残疾人事业。她还克服千难万苦,出版了我的一生中流等14部著作,为残疾人找到了一条通往光明的道路,为人们留下了千古传颂的生命之歌。