the critique of practical reason-第40章

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！


ther　purposes　also。　And　now　the　law　of　duty；　in　consequence　of　the　positive　worth　which　obedience　to　it　makes　us　feel；　finds　easier　access　through　the　respect　for　ourselves　in　the　consciousness　of　our　freedom。　When　this　is　well　established；　when　a　man　dreads　nothing　more　than　to　find　himself；　on　self…examination；　worthless　and　contemptible　in　his　own　eyes；　then　every　good　moral　disposition　can　be　grafted　on　it；　because　this　is　the　best；　nay；　the　only　guard　that　can　keep　off　from　the　mind　the　pressure　of　ignoble　and　corrupting　motives。　　　I　have　only　intended　to　point　out　the　most　general　maxims　of　the　methodology　of　moral　cultivation　and　exercise。　As　the　manifold　variety　of　duties　requires　special　rules　for　each　kind；　and　this　would　be　a　prolix　affair；　I　shall　be　readily　excused　if　in　a　work　like　this；　which　is　only　preliminary；　I　content　myself　with　these　outlines。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONCLUSION。

　　Two　things　fill　the　mind　with　ever　new　and　increasing　admiration　and　awe；　the　oftener　and　the　more　steadily　we　reflect　on　them：　the　starry　heavens　above　and　the　moral　law　within。　I　have　not　to　search　for　them　and　conjecture　them　as　though　they　were　veiled　in　darkness　or　were　in　the　transcendent　region　beyond　my　horizon；　I　see　them　before　me　and　connect　them　directly　with　the　consciousness　of　my　existence。　The　former　begins　from　the　place　I　occupy　in　the　external　world　of　sense；　and　enlarges　my　connection　therein　to　an　unbounded　extent　with　worlds　upon　worlds　and　systems　of　systems；　and　moreover　into　limitless　times　of　their　periodic　motion；　its　beginning　and　continuance。　The　second　begins　from　my　invisible　self；　my　personality；　and　exhibits　me　in　a　world　which　has　true　infinity；　but　which　is　traceable　only　by　the　understanding；　and　with　which　I　discern　that　I　am　not　in　a　merely　contingent　but　in　a　universal　and　necessary　connection；　as　I　am　also　thereby　with　all　those　visible　worlds。　The　former　view　of　a　countless　multitude　of　worlds　annihilates　as　it　were　my　importance　as　an　animal　creature；　which　after　it　has　been　for　a　short　time　provided　with　vital　power；　one　knows　not　how；　must　again　give　back　the　matter　of　which　it　was　formed　to　the　planet　it　inhabits　（a　mere　speck　in　the　universe）。　The　second；　on　the　contrary；　infinitely　elevates　my　worth　as　an　intelligence　by　my　personality；　in　which　the　moral　law　reveals　to　me　a　life　independent　of　animality　and　even　of　the　whole　sensible　world；　at　least　so　far　as　may　be　inferred　from　the　destination　assigned　to　my　existence　by　this　law；　a　destination　not　restricted　to　conditions　and　limits　of　this　life；　but　reaching　into　the　infinite。　　　But　though　admiration　and　respect　may　excite　to　inquiry；　they　cannot　supply　the　want　of　it。　What；　then；　is　to　be　done　in　order　to　enter　on　this　in　a　useful　manner　and　one　adapted　to　the　loftiness　of　the　subject？　Examples　may　serve　in　this　as　a　warning　and　also　for　imitation。　The　contemplation　of　the　world　began　from　the　noblest　spectacle　that　the　human　senses　present　to　us；　and　that　our　understanding　can　bear　to　follow　in　their　vast　reach；　and　it　ended…　in　astrology。　Morality　began　with　the　noblest　attribute　of　human　nature；　the　development　and　cultivation　of　which　give　a　prospect　of　infinite　utility；　and　ended…　in　fanaticism　or　superstition。　So　it　is　with　all　crude　attempts　where　the　principal　part　of　the　business　depends　on　the　use　of　reason；　a　use　which　does　not　come　of　itself；　like　the　use　of　the　feet；　by　frequent　exercise；　especially　when　attributes　are　in　question　which　cannot　be　directly　exhibited　in　common　experience。　But　after　the　maxim　had　come　into　vogue；　though　late；　to　examine　carefully　beforehand　all　the　steps　that　reason　purposes　to　take；　and　not　to　let　it　proceed　otherwise　than　in　the　track　of　a　previously　well　considered　method；　then　the　study　of　the　structure　of　the　universe　took　quite　a　different　direction；　and　thereby　attained　an　incomparably　happier　result。　The　fall　of　a　stone；　the　motion　of　a　sling；　resolved　into　their　elements　and　the　forces　that　are　manifested　in　them；　and　treated　mathematically；　produced　at　last　that　clear　and　henceforward　unchangeable　insight　into　the　system　of　the　world　which；　as　observation　is　continued；　may　hope　always　to　extend　itself；　but　need　never　fear　to　be　compelled　to　retreat。　　　This　example　may　suggest　to　us　to　enter　on　the　same　path　in　treating　of　the　moral　capacities　of　our　nature；　and　may　give　us　hope　of　a　like　good　result。　We　have　at　hand　the　instances　of　the　moral　judgement　of　reason。　By　analysing　these　into　their　elementary　conceptions；　and　in　default　of　mathematics　adopting　a　process　similar　to　that　of　chemistry；　the　separation　of　the　empirical　from　the　rational　elements　that　may　be　found　in　them；　by　repeated　experiments　on　common　sense；　we　may　exhibit　both　pure；　and　learn　with　certainty　what　each　part　can　accomplish　of　itself；　so　as　to　prevent　on　the　one　hand　the　errors　of　a　still　crude　untrained　judgement；　and　on　the　other　hand　（what　is　far　more　necessary）　the　extravagances　of　genius；　by　which；　as　by　the　adepts　of　the　philosopher's　stone；　without　any　methodical　study　or　knowledge　of　nature；　visionary　treasures　are　promised　and　the　true　are　thrown　away。　In　one　word；　science　（critically　undertaken　and　methodically　directed）　is　the　narrow　gate　that　leads　to　the　true　doctrine　of　practical　wisdom；　if　we　understand　by　this　not　merely　what　one　ought　to　do；　but　what　ought　to　serve　teachers　as　a　guide　to　construct　well　and　clearly　the　road　to　wisdom　which　everyone　should　travel；　and　to　secure　others　from　going　astray。　Philosophy　must　always　continue　to　be　the　guardian　of　this　science；　and　although　the　public　does　not　take　any　interest　in　its　subtle　investigations；　it　must　take　an　interest　in　the　resulting　doctrines；　which　such　an　examination　first　puts　in　a　clear　light。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…