登陆注册
5419400000229

第229章

Happiness, therefore, in exact proportion with the morality of rational beings (whereby they are made worthy of happiness), constitutes alone the supreme good of a world into which we absolutely must transport ourselves according to the commands of pure but practical reason.This world is, it is true, only an intelligible world; for of such a systematic unity of ends as it requires, the world of sense gives us no hint.Its reality can be based on nothing else but the hypothesis of a supreme original good.In it independent reason, equipped with all the sufficiency of a supreme cause, founds, maintains, and fulfils the universal order of things, with the most perfect teleological harmony, however much this order may be hidden from us in the world of sense.

This moral theology has the peculiar advantage, in contrast with speculative theology, of leading inevitably to the conception of a sole, perfect, and rational First Cause, whereof speculative theology does not give us any indication on objective grounds, far less any convincing evidence.For we find neither in transcendental nor in natural theology, however far reason may lead us in these, any ground to warrant us in assuming the existence of one only Being, which stands at the head of all natural causes, and on which these are entirely dependent.On the other band, if we take our stand on moral unity as a necessary law of the universe, and from this point of view consider what is necessary to give this law adequate efficiency and, for us, obligatory force, we must come to the conclusion that there is one only supreme will, which comprehends all these laws in itself.For how, under different wills, should we find complete unity of ends? This will must be omnipotent, that all nature and its relation to morality in the world may be subject to it;omniscient, that it may have knowledge of the most secret feelings and their moral worth; omnipresent, that it may be at hand to supply every necessity to which the highest weal of the world may give rise;eternal, that this harmony of nature and liberty may never fail; and so on.

But this systematic unity of ends in this world of intelligences-which, as mere nature, is only a world of sense, but, as a system of freedom of volition, may be termed an intelligible, that is, moral world (regnum gratiae)- leads inevitably also to the teleological unity of all things which constitute this great whole, according to universal natural laws- just as the unity of the former is according to universal and necessary moral laws- and unites the practical with the speculative reason.The world must be represented as having originated from an idea, if it is to harmonize with that use of reason without which we cannot even consider ourselves as worthy of reason-namely, the moral use, which rests entirely on the idea of the supreme good.Hence the investigation of nature receives a teleological direction, and becomes, in its widest extension, physico-theology.But this, taking its rise in moral order as a unity founded on the essence of freedom, and not accidentally instituted by external commands, establishes the teleological view of nature on grounds which must be inseparably connected with the internal possibility of things.This gives rise to a transcendental theology, which takes the ideal of the highest ontological perfection as a principle of systematic unity;and this principle connects all things according to universal and necessary natural laws, because all things have their origin in the absolute necessity of the one only Primal Being.

What use can we make of our understanding, even in respect of experience, if we do not propose ends to ourselves? But the highest ends are those of morality, and it is only pure reason that can give us the knowledge of these.Though supplied with these, and putting ourselves under their guidance, we can make no teleological use of the knowledge of nature, as regards cognition, unless nature itself has established teleological unity.For without this unity we should not even possess reason, because we should have no school for reason, and no cultivation through objects which afford the materials for its conceptions.But teleological unity is a necessary unity, and founded on the essence of the individual will itself.Hence this will, which is the condition of the application of this unity in concreto, must be so likewise.In this way the transcendental enlargement of our rational cognition would be, not the cause, but merely the effect of the practical teleology which pure reason imposes upon us.

同类推荐
  • 海外恸哭记

    海外恸哭记

    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。
  • 诸真内丹集要

    诸真内丹集要

    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。
  • 斩鬼传

    斩鬼传

    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。
  • 禅门章

    禅门章

    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。
  • 归庐谭往录

    归庐谭往录

    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
  • 逆天嫡女:鬼帝,来一战

    逆天嫡女:鬼帝,来一战

    前世,高贵如她却有眼无珠,被渣男渣女伤的体无完肤、九族被灭,成为世人眼里可笑可怜的干尸血牛。重生归来,辱她者杀无赦,惩恶奴、斗恶父、虐渣虐白莲花,将一切屈辱百倍还之。她杀人、他埋尸,她放火、他灭口,强强联手,一袭凤血嫁衣行天下,问谁不怕。
  • 异能万象

    异能万象

    降雨,打雷,放火,天地异象,无奇不有,这里是异能为尊的世界,只有到达巅峰的异能者才能得到世人的承认,繁衍到巅峰的异能量,是使用异能的唯一方法,无名小子的异能逆袭之路!
  • 重生之醋娘子

    重生之醋娘子

    定远侯府嫡女前世被继母害死,得上天怜悯,重生到了十三岁那年,扒了继母的伪善皮,揭穿庶姐的虚情假意,抢回了自己的男人。为了把嚣张不可一世的平阳王教导成完美相公,天天上演一哭二闹三上吊的精彩大戏。
  • 咱们都是同龄人

    咱们都是同龄人

    温亚军,现为北京武警总部某文学杂志主编。著有长篇小说伪生活等六部,小说集硬雪、驮水的日子等七部。获第三届鲁迅文学奖,第十一届庄重文文学奖,《小说选刊》《中国作家》和《上海文学》等刊物奖,入选中国小说学会排行榜。中国作家协会会员。
  • 锋行云崖

    锋行云崖

    登峰履刃行千里,穿云裂日喝断崖!内外兼修的武功、秀美壮观的古代山河、有情有义的江湖外传、正邪英雄的武林争霸。江湖纷乱精彩,一场血雨腥风,拉开帷幕...
  • 都市鬼眼狂医

    都市鬼眼狂医

    他掌握了气运的力量,从此勇救美女,脚踩宵小,一路高歌猛进,走向人生巅峰。
  • 玉堂嘉话

    玉堂嘉话

    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。
  • 契约成立:银十字序曲

    契约成立:银十字序曲

    暗沦落世间,却仍旧落魄受馈手握政权。明生于混沌,却依然承载属于神的灵魂。传闻当阴阳汇集,便有权开启最后的审判,迎来既定的轮回。命运之轮转动,见证悲欢离合。回首看尽世间寒暖,转瞬万念俱空。瞳孔里映照着火光,一秒的时光之差,化拯救为毁灭。背诵起神明写好的剧本,被改变的自己只能漠然旁观着不可逆的结局。亦阴亦阳,最清澈的湖水会倒映最真实的剪影,终焉的审判会迎来时空的变迁。所谓善恶到底被谁定下判定的标准,谁言行走于黑暗就一定代表着肮脏的内心?破碎的瞳仁掩盖了疲惫的内心,行走的女王最终握起审判之杖。万物生命被折磨,崩坏的地面把所有人赶出无法回溯的楼阁。万物生命被雕刻,神灵为这唯一被它操控的维度唱起了赞歌。
  • 孩儿他爸

    孩儿他爸

    望父成龙,望母成凤这都是为了孩子啊。。。。 2020年,5G元年,首款世界级VR游戏的第一名玩家,姜小北,被两个亲生奶娃带着拯救世界的故事。。。。
  • 末世之Z病毒

    末世之Z病毒

    一个看似平常的一天,却让幸存者们刻骨铭心,27世纪的一天,安卡市爆发了一种恐怖的瘟疫,许多市民变成了丧尸。一名叫林天的警察,侥幸和一些市民躲过了瘟疫,为了生存和调查真相,林天多次死里逃生,想要拯救这个死寂之城……