按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
contrary； the empirical synthesis and the series of conditions in
the phenomenal world… subsumed in the minor… are necessarily
successive and given in time alone。 It follows that I cannot
presuppose in the minor； as I did in the major； the absolute
totality of the synthesis and of the series therein represented； for
in the major all the members of the series are given as things in
themselves… without any limitations or conditions of time； while in
the minor they are possible only in and through a successive
regress； which cannot exist； except it be actually carried into
execution in the world of phenomena。
After this proof of the viciousness of the argument commonly
employed in maintaining cosmological assertions； both parties may
now be justly dismissed； as advancing claims without grounds or title。
But the process has not been ended by convincing them that one or both
were in the wrong and had maintained an assertion which was without
valid grounds of proof。 Nothing seems to be clearer than that； if
one maintains： 〃The world has a beginning；〃 and another： 〃The world
has no beginning；〃 one of the two must be right。 But it is likewise
clear that； if the evidence on both sides is equal； it is impossible
to discover on what side the truth lies； and the controversy
continues； although the parties have been recommended to peace
before the tribunal of reason。 There remains； then； no other means
of settling the question than to convince the parties； who refute each
other with such conclusiveness and ability； that they are disputing
about nothing； and that a transcendental illusion has been mocking
them with visions of reality where there is none。 The mode of
adjusting a dispute which cannot be decided upon its own merits； we
shall now proceed to lay before our readers。
Zeno of Elea； a subtle dialectician； was severely reprimanded by
Plato as a sophist； who； merely from the base motive of exhibiting his
skill in discussion； maintained and subverted the same proposition
by arguments as powerful and convincing on the one side as on the
other。 He maintained； for example； that God （who was probably
nothing more； in his view； than the world） is neither finite nor
infinite； neither in motion nor in rest； neither similar nor
dissimilar to any other thing。 It seemed to those philosophers who
criticized his mode of discussion that his purpose was to deny
completely both of two self…contradictory propositions… which is
absurd。 But I cannot believe that there is any justice in this
accusation。 The first of these propositions I shall presently consider
in a more detailed manner。 With regard to the others； if by the word
of God he understood merely the Universe； his meaning must have
been… that it cannot be permanently present in one place… that is；
at rest… nor be capable of changing its place… that is； of moving…
because all places are in the universe； and the universe itself is；
therefore； in no place。 Again； if the universe contains in itself
everything that exists； it cannot be similar or dissimilar to any
other thing； because there is； in fact； no other thing with which it
can be compared。 If two opposite judgements presuppose a contingent
impossible； or arbitrary condition； both… in spite of their opposition
（which is； however； not properly or really a contradiction）… fall
away； because the condition； which ensured the validity of both； has
itself disappeared。
If we say： 〃Everybody has either a good or a bad smell；〃 we have
omitted a third possible judgement… it has no smell at all； and thus
both conflicting statements may be false。 If we say： 〃It is either
good…smelling or not good…smelling （vel suaveolens vel
non…suaveolens）；〃 both judgements are contradictorily opposed； and the
contradictory opposite of the former judgement… some bodies are not
good…smelling… embraces also those bodies which have no smell at
all。 In the preceding pair of opposed judgements （per disparata）；
the contingent condition of the conception of body （smell） attached to
both conflicting statements； instead of having been omitted in the
latter； which is consequently not the contradictory opposite of the
former。
If； accordingly； we say： 〃The world is either infinite in extension；
or it is not infinite （non est infinitus）〃； and if the former
proposition is false； its contradictory opposite… the world is not
infinite… must be true。 And thus I should deny the existence of an
infinite； without； however affirming the existence of a finite
world。 But if we construct our proposition thus： 〃The world is
either infinite or finite （non…infinite）；〃 both statements may be
false。 For； in this case； we consider the world as per se determined
in regard to quantity； and while； in the one judgement； we deny its
infinite and consequently； perhaps； its independent existence； in
the other； we append to the world； regarded as a thing in itself； a
certain determination… that of finitude； and the latter may be false
as well as the former； if the world is not given as a thing in itself；
and thus neither as finite nor as infinite in quantity。 This kind of
opposition I may be allowed to term dialectical； that of
contradictories may be called analytical opposition。 Thus then； of two
dialectically opposed judgements both may be false； from the fact；
that the one is not a mere contradictory of the other； but actually
enounces more than is requisite for a full and complete contradiction。
When we regard the two propositions… 〃The world is infinite in
quantity；〃 and； 〃The world is finite in quantity；〃 as contradictory
opposites； we are assuming that the world… the complete series of
phenomena… is a thing in itself。 For it remains as a permanent
quantity； whether I deny the infinite or the finite regress in the
series of its phenomena。 But if we dismiss this assumption… this
transcendental illusion… and deny that it is a thing in itself； the
contradictory opposition is metamorphosed into a merely dialectical
one； and the world； as not existing in itself… independently of the
regressive series of my representations… exists in like manner neither
as a whole which is infinite nor as a whole which is finite in itself。
The universe exists for me only in the empirical regress of the series
of phenomena and not per se。 If； then； it is always conditioned； it is
never completely or as a whole； and it is； therefore； not an
unconditioned whole and does not exist as such； either with an
infinite； or with a finite quantity。
What we have here said of the first cosmological idea… that of the
absolute totality of quantity in phenomena… applies also to the
others。 The series of conditions is discoverable only in the
regressive synthesis itself； and not in the phenomenon considered as a
thing in itself… given prior to all regress。 Hence I am compelled to
say： 〃The aggregate of parts in a given phenomenon is in itself
neither finite nor infinite； and these parts are given only in the
regr