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material or transcendental content of the possibility and complete
determination of all things。
*The investigations and calculations of astronomers have taught us
much that is wonderful； but the most important lesson we have received
from them is the discovery of the abyss of our ignorance in relation
to the universe… an ignorance the magnitude of which reason； without
the information thus derived； could never have conceived。 This
discovery of our deficiencies must produce a great change in the
determination of the aims of human reason。
If； therefore； a transcendental substratum lies at the foundation of
the complete determination of things… a substratum which is to form
the fund from which all possible predicates of things are to be
supplied； this substratum cannot be anything else than the idea of a
sum…total of reality （omnitudo realitatis）。 In this view； negations
are nothing but limitations… a term which could not； with propriety；
be applied to them； if the unlimited （the all） did not form the true
basis of our conception。
This conception of a sum…total of reality is the conception of a
thing in itself； regarded as completely determined； and the conception
of an ens realissimum is the conception of an individual being；
inasmuch as it is determined by that predicate of all possible
contradictory predicates； which indicates and belongs to being。 It is；
therefore； a transcendental ideal which forms the basis of the
complete determination of everything that exists； and is the highest
material condition of its possibility… a condition on which must
rest the cogitation of all objects with respect to their content。 Nay；
more； this ideal is the only proper ideal of which the human mind is
capable； because in this case alone a general conception of a thing is
completely determined by and through itself； and cognized as the
representation of an individuum。
The logical determination of a conception is based upon a
disjunctive syllogism； the major of which contains the logical
division of the extent of a general conception； the minor limits
this extent to a certain part； while the conclusion determines the
conception by this part。 The general conception of a reality cannot be
divided a priori； because； without the aid of experience； we cannot
know any determinate kinds of reality； standing under the former as
the genus。 The transcendental principle of the complete
determination of all things is therefore merely the representation
of the sum…total of all reality； it is not a conception which is the
genus of all predicates under itself； but one which comprehends them
all within itself。 The complete determination of a thing is
consequently based upon the limitation of this total of reality； so
much being predicated of the thing； while all that remains over is
excluded… a procedure which is in exact agreement with that of the
disjunctive syllogism and the determination of the objects in the
conclusion by one of the members of the division。 It follows that
reason； in laying the transcendental ideal at the foundation of its
determination of all possible things； takes a course in exact
analogy with that which it pursues in disjunctive syllogisms… a
proposition which formed the basis of the systematic division of all
transcendental ideas； according to which they are produced in complete
parallelism with the three modes of syllogistic reasoning employed
by the human mind。
It is self…evident that reason； in cogitating the necessary complete
determination of things； does not presuppose the existence of a
being corresponding to its ideal； but merely the idea of the ideal…
for the purpose of deducing from the unconditional totality of
complete determination； The ideal is therefore the prototype of all
things； which； as defective copies （ectypa）； receive from it the
material of their possibility； and approximate to it more or less；
though it is impossible that they can ever attain to its perfection。
The possibility of things must therefore be regarded as derived…
except that of the thing which contains in itself all reality； which
must be considered to be primitive and original。 For all negations…
and they are the only predicates by means of which all other things
can be distinguished from the ens realissimum… are mere limitations of
a greater and a higher… nay； the highest reality； and they
consequently presuppose this reality； and are； as regards their
content； derived from it。 The manifold nature of things is only an
infinitely various mode of limiting the conception of the highest
reality； which is their common substratum； just as all figures are
possible only as different modes of limiting infinite space。 The
object of the ideal of reason… an object existing only in reason
itself… is also termed the primal being （ens originarium）； as having
no existence superior to him； the supreme being （ens summum）； and as
being the condition of all other beings； which rank under it； the
being of all beings （ens entium）。 But none of these terms indicate the
objective relation of an actually existing object to other things； but
merely that of an idea to conceptions； and all our investigations into
this subject still leave us in perfect uncertainty with regard to
the existence of this being。
A primal being cannot be said to consist of many other beings with
an existence which is derivative； for the latter presuppose the
former； and therefore cannot be constitutive parts of it。 It follows
that the ideal of the primal being must be cogitated as simple。
The deduction of the possibility of all other things from this
primal being cannot； strictly speaking； be considered as a limitation；
or as a kind of division of its reality； for this would be regarding
the primal being as a mere aggregate… which has been shown to be
impossible； although it was so represented in our first rough
sketch。 The highest reality must be regarded rather as the ground than
as the sum…total of the possibility of all things； and the manifold
nature of things be based； not upon the limitation of the primal being
itself； but upon the complete series of effects which flow from it。
And thus all our powers of sense； as well as all phenomenal reality；
phenomenal reality； may be with propriety regarded as belonging to
this series of effects； while they could not have formed parts of
the idea； considered as an aggregate。 Pursuing this track； and
hypostatizing this idea； we shall find ourselves authorized to
determine our notion of the Supreme Being by means of the mere
conception of a highest reality； as one； simple； all…sufficient；
eternal； and so on… in one word； to determine it in its
unconditioned completeness by the aid of every possible predicate。 The
conception of such a being is the conception of God in its
transcendental sense； and thus the ideal of pure reason is the
object…matter of a transcendental theology。
But； by such an employment of the transcendental idea； we should
be over stepping the limits of its validity and purpose。 For reason
placed it； as the conception of all reality； at the basis of the
complete determination of things； without requiring that this
conception be regarded as the conception of an objective existence。
Such an existence would be purely fictitious； and the hypostatizing of
the content of the idea into an ideal； as an individual being； is a
step perfectly unauthorized。 Nay； more； we are not even called upon to
assume the possibility of such an hypothesis； as none of the
deductions drawn from such an ideal would affect the complete
determination of things in general… for the sake of which alone is the
idea necessary。
It is not sufficient to circumscribe the procedure and the dialectic
of reason； we must also endeavour to discover the sources of this
dialectic； that we may have it in our power to give a rational
explanation of this illusion； as a phenomenon of the human mind。 For
the ideal； of which we are at present speaking； is based； not upon
an arbitrary； but upon a natural； idea。 The question hence arises： How
happens it that reason regards the possibility of all things as
deduced from a single possibility； that； to wit； of the highest
reality； and presupposes this as existing in an individual and
primal being？
The answer is ready； it is at once presented by the procedure of
transcendental analytic。 The possibility of sensuous objects is a
relation of these objects to thought； in which something （the
empirical form） may be cogitated a priori； while that which
constitutes the matter… the reality of the phenomenon （that element
which corresponds to sensation）… must be given from without； as
otherwise it could not even be cogitated by； nor could its possibility
be presentable to the mind。 Now； a sensuous object is completely
determined； when it has been compared with all phenomenal
predicates； and represented by means of these either p