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contains the condition of that conception）； 〃All pound is
changeable；〃 by proceeding from this to a less remote cognition； which
stands under the condition of the former； 〃Bodies are pound；〃 and
hence to a third； which at length connects for me the remote cognition
（changeable） with the one before me； 〃Consequently； bodies are
changeable〃… I have arrived at a cognition （conclusion） through a
series of conditions （premisses）。 Now every series； whose exponent （of
the categorical or hypothetical judgement） is given； can be continued；
consequently the same procedure of reason conducts us to the
ratiocinatio polysyllogistica； which is a series of syllogisms； that
can be continued either on the side of the conditions （per
prosyllogismos） or of the conditioned （per episyllogismos） to an
indefinite extent。
But we very soon perceive that the chain or series of prosyllogisms；
that is； of deduced cognitions on the side of the grounds or
conditions of a given cognition； in other words； the ascending
series of syllogisms must have a very different relation to the
faculty of reason from that of the descending series； that is； the
progressive procedure of reason on the side of the conditioned by
means of episyllogisms。 For； as in the former case the cognition
（conclusio） is given only as conditioned； reason can attain to this
cognition only under the presupposition that all the members of the
series on the side of the conditions are given （totality in the series
of premisses）； because only under this supposition is the judgement we
may be considering possible a priori； while on the side of the
conditioned or the inferences； only an inplete and being； and
not a presupposed or given series； consequently only a potential
progression； is cogitated。 Hence； when a cognition is contemplated
as conditioned； reason is pelled to consider the series of
conditions in an ascending line as pleted and given in their
totality。 But if the very same condition is considered at the same
time as the condition of other cognitions； which together constitute a
series of inferences or consequences in a descending line； reason
may preserve a perfect indifference； as to how far this progression
may extend a parte posteriori； and whether the totality of this series
is possible； because it stands in no need of such a series for the
purpose of arriving at the conclusion before it； inasmuch as this
conclusion is sufficiently guaranteed and determined on grounds a
parte priori。 It may be the case； that upon the side of the conditions
the series of premisses has a first or highest condition； or it may
not possess this； and so be a parte priori unlimited； but it must；
nevertheless； contain totality of conditions； even admitting that we
never could succeed in pletely apprehending it； and the whole
series must be unconditionally true； if the conditioned； which is
considered as an inference resulting from it； is to be held as true。
This is a requirement of reason； which announces its cognition as
determined a priori and as necessary； either in itself… and in this
case it needs no grounds to rest upon… or； if it is deduced； as a
member of a series of grounds； which is itself unconditionally true。
SECTION III。 System of Transcendental Ideas。
We are not at present engaged with a logical dialectic； which
makes plete abstraction of the content of cognition and aims only
at unveiling the illusory appearance in the form of syllogisms。 Our
subject is transcendental dialectic； which must contain； pletely
a priori； the origin of certain cognitions drawn from pure reason； and
the origin of certain deduced conceptions； the object of which
cannot be given empirically and which therefore lie beyond the
sphere of the faculty of understanding。 We have observed； from the
natural relation which the transcendental use of our cognition； in
syllogisms as well as in judgements； must have to the logical； that
there are three kinds of dialectical arguments； corresponding to the
three modes of conclusion； by which reason attains to cognitions on
principles； and that in all it is the business of reason to ascend
from the conditioned synthesis； beyond which the understanding never
proceeds； to the unconditioned which the understanding never can
reach。
Now the most general relations which can exist in our
representations are： 1st； the relation to the subject； 2nd； the
relation to objects； either as phenomena； or as objects of thought
in general。 If we connect this subdivision with the main division； all
the relations of our representations； of which we can form either a
conception or an idea； are threefold： 1。 The relation to the
subject； 2。 The relation to the manifold of the object as a
phenomenon； 3。 The relation to all things in general。
Now all pure conceptions have to do in general with the
synthetical unity of representations； conceptions of pure reason
（transcendental ideas）； on the other hand； with the unconditional
synthetical unity of all conditions。 It follows that all
transcendental ideas arrange themselves in three classes； the first of
which contains the absolute （unconditioned） unity of the thinking
subject； the second the absolute unity of the series of the conditions
of a phenomenon； the third the absolute unity of the condition of
all objects of thought in general。
The thinking subject is the object…matter of Psychology； the sum
total of all phenomena （the world） is the object…matter of
Cosmology； and the thing which contains the highest condition of the
possibility of all that is cogitable （the being of all beings） is
the object…matter of all Theology。 Thus pure reason presents us with
the idea of a transcendental doctrine of the soul （psychologia
rationalis）； of a transcendental science of the world （cosmologia
rationalis）； and finally of a transcendental doctrine of God
（theologia transcendentalis）。 Understanding cannot originate even
the outline of any of these sciences； even when connected with the
highest logical use of reason； that is； all cogitable syllogisms…
for the purpose of proceeding from one object （phenomenon） to all
others； even to the utmost limits of the empirical synthesis。 They
are； on the contrary； pure and genuine products； or problems； of
pure reason。
What modi of the pure conceptions of reason these transcendental
ideas are will be fully exposed in the following chapter。 They
follow the guiding thread of the categories。 For pure reason never
relates immediately to objects； but to the conceptions of these
contained in the understanding。 In like manner； it will be made
manifest in the detailed explanation of these ideas… how reason；
merely through the synthetical use of the same function which it
employs in a categorical syllogism； necessarily attains to the
conception of the absolute unity of the thinking subject… how the
logical procedure in hypothetical ideas necessarily produces the
idea of the absolutely unconditioned in a series of given
conditions； and finally… how the mere form of the disjunctive
syllogism involves the highest conception of a being of all beings：
a thought which at first sight seems in the highest degree
parad