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experience possible; and what are the principles of the possibility
thereof with which they present us in their application to
phenomena; the following section on the transcendental exercise of the
faculty of judgement will inform the reader。
It is quite possible that someone may propose a species of
preformation…system of pure reason… a middle way between the two… to
wit; that the categories are neither innate and first a priori
principles of cognition; nor derived from experience; but are merely
subjective aptitudes for thought implanted in us contemporaneously
with our existence; which were so ordered and disposed by our Creator;
that their exercise perfectly harmonizes with the laws of nature which
regulate experience。 Now; not to mention that with such an
hypothesis it is impossible to say at what point we must stop in the
employment of predetermined aptitudes; the fact that the categories
would in this case entirely lose that character of necessity which
is essentially involved in the very conception of them; is a
conclusive objection to it。 The conception of cause; for example;
which expresses the necessity of an effect under a presupposed
condition; would be false; if it rested only upon such an arbitrary
subjective necessity of uniting certain empirical representations
according to such a rule of relation。 I could not then say… 〃The
effect is connected with its cause in the object (that is;
necessarily);〃 but only; 〃I am so constituted that I can think this
representation as so connected; and not otherwise。〃 Now this is just
what the sceptic wants。 For in this case; all our knowledge; depending
on the supposed objective validity of our judgement; is nothing but
mere illusion; nor would there be wanting people who would deny any
such subjective necessity in respect to themselves; though they must
feel it。 At all events; we could not dispute with any one on that
which merely depends on the manner in which his subject is organized。
Short view of the above Deduction。
The foregoing deduction is an exposition of the pure conceptions
of the understanding (and with them of all theoretical a priori
cognition); as principles of the possibility of experience; but of
experience as the determination of all phenomena in space and time
in general… of experience; finally; from the principle of the original
synthetical unity of apperception; as the form of the understanding in
relation to time and space as original forms of sensibility。
I consider the division by paragraphs to be necessary only up to
this point; because we had to treat of the elementary conceptions。
As we now proceed to the exposition of the employment of these; I
shall not designate the chapters in this manner any further。
BOOK II。
Analytic of Principles。
General logic is constructed upon a plan which coincides exactly
with the division of the higher faculties of cognition。 These are;
understanding; judgement; and reason。 This science; accordingly;
treats in its analytic of conceptions; judgements; and conclusions
in exact correspondence with the functions and order of those mental
powers which we include generally under the generic denomination of
understanding。
As this merely formal logic makes abstraction of all content of
cognition; whether pure or empirical; and occupies itself with the
mere form of thought (discursive cognition); it must contain in its
analytic a canon for reason。 For the form of reason has its law;
which; without taking into consideration the particular nature of
the cognition about which it is employed; can be discovered a
priori; by the simple analysis of the action of reason into its
momenta。
Transcendental logic; limited as it is to a determinate content;
that of pure a priori cognitions; to wit; cannot imitate general logic
in this division。 For it is evident that the transcendental employment
of reason is not objectively valid; and therefore does not belong to
the logic of truth (that is; to analytic); but as a logic of illusion;
occupies a particular department in the scholastic system under the
name of transcendental dialectic。
Understanding and judgement accordingly possess in transcendental
logic a canon of objectively valid; and therefore true exercise; and
are prehended in the analytical department of that logic。 But
reason; in her endeavours to arrive by a priori means at some true
statement concerning objects and to extend cognition beyond the bounds
of possible experience; is altogether dialectic; and her illusory
assertions cannot be constructed into a canon such as an analytic
ought to contain。
Accordingly; the analytic of principles will be merely a canon for
the faculty of judgement; for the instruction of this faculty in its
application to phenomena of the pure conceptions of the understanding;
which contain the necessary condition for the establishment of a
priori laws。 On this account; although the subject of the following
chapters is the especial principles of understanding; I shall make use
of the term Doctrine of the faculty of judgement; in order to define
more particularly my present purpose。
INTRODUCTION。 Of the Transcendental Faculty of judgement in General。
If understanding in general be defined as the faculty of laws or
rules; the faculty of judgement may be termed the faculty of
subsumption under these rules; that is; of distinguishing whether this
or that does or does not stand under a given rule (casus datae legis)。
General logic contains no directions or precepts for the faculty of
judgement; nor can it contain any such。 For as it makes abstraction of
all content of cognition; no duty is left for it; except that of
exposing analytically the mere form of cognition in conceptions;
judgements; and conclusions; and of thereby establishing formal
rules for all exercise of the understanding。 Now if this logic
wished to give some general direction how we should subsume under
these rules; that is; how we should distinguish whether this or that
did or did not stand under them; this again could not be done
otherwise than by means of a rule。 But this rule; precisely because it
is a rule; requires for itself direction from the faculty of
judgement。 Thus; it is evident that the understanding is capable of
being instructed by rules; but that the judgement is a peculiar
talent; which does not; and cannot require tuition; but only exercise。
This faculty is therefore the specific quality of the so…called mother
wit; the want of which no scholastic discipline can pensate。
For although education may furnish; and; as it were; engraft upon
a limited understanding rules borrowed from other minds; yet the power
of employing these rules correctly must belong to the pupil himself;
and no rule which we can prescribe to him with this purpose is; in the
absence or deficiency of this gift of nature; secure from misuse。* A
physician therefore; a judge or a statesman; may have in his head many
admirable pathological; juridical; or political rules; in a degree
that may enable him to be a profound teacher in his particular
science; and yet in the