第 21 节
作者:
桃桃逃 更新:2022-08-21 16:33 字数:9320
Unfortunately there soon creeps in the misconception of already knowing before
you know … the error of refusing to enter the water until you have learnt to swim。
True; indeed; the forms of thought should be subjected to a scrutiny before they
are used: yet what is this scrutiny but ipso facto a cognition?
So that what we want is to combine in our process of inquiry the action of the
forms of thought with a criticism of them。 The forms of thought must be studied
in their essential nature and complete development: they are at once the object of
research and the action of that object。 Hence they examine themselves: in their
own action they must determine their limits; and point out their defects。 This is
that action of thought; which will hereafter be specially considered under the
name of Dialectic; and regarding which we need only at the outset observe that;
instead of being brought to bear upon the categories from without; it is Immanent
in their own action。
We may therefore state the first point in Kant's philosophy as follows: Thought
must itself investigate its own capacity of knowledge。 People in the present day
have got over Kant and his philosophy: everybody wants to get further。 But there
are two ways of going further … a backward and a forward。 The light of criticism
soon shows that many of our modern essays in philosophy are mere repetitions of
the old metaphysical method; an endless and uncritical thinking in a groove
determined by the natural bent of each man's mind。
(2) Kant's examination of the categories suffers from the grave defect of viewing
them; not absolutely and for their own sake; but in order to see whether they are
subjective or objective。 In the language of common life we mean by objective
what exists outside of us and reaches us from without by means of sensation。
What Kant did was to deny that the categories; such as cause and effect; were; in
this sense of the word; objective; or given in sensation; and to maintain on the
contrary that they belonged to our own thought itself; to the spontaneity of
thought。 To that extent therefore they were subjective。 And yet in spite of this;
Kant gives the name objective to what is thought; to the universal and necessary;
while he describes as subjective whatever is merely felt。 This arrangement
apparently reverses the first…mentioned use of the word; and has caused Kant to
be charged with confusing language。 But the charge is unfair if we more narrowly
consider the facts of the case。 The vulgar believe that the objects of perception
which confront them; such as an individual animal; or a single star; are
independent and permanent existences; compared with which thoughts are
unsubstantial and dependent on something else。 In fact however the perceptions
of sense are the properly dependent and secondary feature; while the thoughts are
really independent and primary。 This being so; Kant gave the title objective to the
intellectual factor; to the universal and necessary: and he was quite justified in so
doing。 Our sensations on the other hand are subjective; for sensations lack
stability in their own nature; and are no less fleeting and evanescent than thought
is permanent and self…subsisting。 At the present day; the special line of distinction
established by Kant between the subjective and objective is adopted by the
phraseology of the educated world。 Thus the criticism of a work of art ought; it is
said; to be not subjective; but objective … in other words; instead of springing
from the particular and accidental feeling or temper of the moment; it should keep
its eye on those general points of view which the laws of art establish。 In the
same acceptation we can distinguish in any scientific pursuit the objective and the
subjective interest of the investigation。
But after all; objectivity of thought; in Kant's sense; is again to a certain extent
subjective。 Thoughts; according to Kant; although universal and necessary
categories; are only our thoughts … separated by an impassable gulf from the
thing; as it exists apart from our knowledge。 But the true objectivity of thinking
means that the thoughts; far from being merely ours; must at the same time be
the real essence of the things; and of whatever is an object to us。
Objective and subjective are convenient expressions in current use; the
employment of which may easily lead to confusion。 Up to this point; the
discussion has shown three meanings of objectivity。 First; it means what has
external existence; in distinction from which the subjective is what is only
supposed; dreamed; &c。 Secondly; it has the meaning; attached to it by Kant; of
the universal and necessary; as distinguished from the particular; subjective; and
occasional element which belongs to our sensations。 Thirdly; as has been just
explained; it means the thought…apprehended essence of the existing thing; in
contradistinction from what is merely our thought; and what consequently is still
separated from the thing itself; as it exists in independent essence。
§ 42
(a) The Theoretical Faculty。 Cognition qua cognition。 The specific ground of the
categories is declared by the Critical system to lie in the primary identity of the 'I'
in thought what Kant calls the 'transcendental unity of self…consciousness'。 The
impressions from feeling and perception are; if we look to their contents; a
multiplicity or miscellany of elements: and the multiplicity is equally conspicuous
in their form。 For sense is marked by a mutual exclusion of members; and that
under two aspects; namely space and time; which; being the forms; that is to say;
the universal type of perception; are themselves a priori。 This congeries;
afforded by sensation and perception; must however be reduced to an identity or
primary synthesis。 To accomplish this the 'I' brings it in relation to itself and
unites it there in one consciousness which Kant calls 'pure apperception'。 The
specific modes in which the Ego refers to itself the multiplicity of sense are the
pure concepts of the understanding; the Categories。
Kant; it is well known; did not put himself to much trouble in discovering the
categories。 'I'; the unity of selfconsciousness; being quite abstract and completely
indeterminate; the question arises; how are we to get at the specialised forms of
the 'I'; the categories? Fortunately; the common logic offers to our hand an
empirical classification of the kinds of judgement。 Now; to judge is the same as
to think of a determinate object。 Hence the various modes of judgement; as
enumerated to our hand; provide us with the several categories of thought。 To the
philosophy of Fichte belongs the great merit of having called attention to the need
of exhibiting the necessity of these categories and giving a genuine deduction of
them。 Fichte ought to have produced at least one effect on the method of logic。
One might have expected that the general laws of thought; the usual
stock…in…trade of logicians; or the classification of notions; judgements; and
syllogisms; would be no longer taken merely from observation and so only
empirically treated; but be deduced from thought itself。 If thought is to be capable
of proving anything at all; if logic must insist upon the necessity of proofs; and if
it proposes to teach the theory of demonstration; its first care should be to give a
reason for its own subject。
§42n
(1) Kant therefore holds that the categories have their source in the 'Ego' and that the 'Ego'
consequently supplies the characteristics of universality and necessity。 If we observe what we have
before us primarily; we may describe it as a congeries or diversity: and in the categories we find
the simple points or units; to which this congeries is made to converge。 The world of sense is a
scene of mutual exclusion: its being is outside itself。 That is the fundamental feature of the sensible。
'Now' has no meaning except in reference to a before and a hereafter。 Red; in the same way; only
subsists by being opposed to yellow and blue。 Now this other thing is outside the sensible; which
latter is; only in so far as it is not the other; and only in so far as that other is。 But thought; or the
'Ego'; occupies a position the very reverse of the sensible; with its mutual exclusions; and its being
outside itself。 The 'I' is the primary identity … at one with itself and all at home in itself。 The word ' I'
expresses the mere act of bringing…to…bear…upon…self: and whatever is placed in this unit or focus
is affected by it and transformed into it。 The 'I' is as it were the crucible and the fire which
consumes the loose plurality of sense and reduces it to unity。 This is the process which Kant calls
pure apperception in distinction from the common apperception; to which the plurality it receives is
a plurality still; whereas pure apperception is rather an act by which the 'I' makes the materials
'mine'。
This view has at least the merit of giving a correct expression to the nature of all consciousness。
The tendency of all man's endeavours is to understand the world; to appropriate and subdue it to
himself: and