To prevent a misunderstanding which may easily arise, it is in the
highest degree needful to remark that, in the first place, we can
_think_ these properties of the highest Being only according to
analogy. How indeed could we explore the nature of that, to which
experience can show us nothing similar? Secondly, in this way we only
think the supreme Being; we cannot thereby _cognise_ Him and ascribe
anything theoretically to Him. It would be needful for the determinant
Judgement in the speculative aspect of our Reason, to consider what
the supreme World-Cause is in Himself. But here we are only concerned
with the question what concept we can form of Him, according to the
constitution of our cognitive faculties; and whether we have to assume
His existence in order merely to furnish practical reality to a
purpose, which pure Reason without any such presupposition enjoins upon
us _a priori_ to bring about with all our powers, _i.e._ in order to
be able to think as possible a designed effect. Although that concept
may be transcendent for the speculative Reason, and the properties
which we ascribe to the Being thereby thought may, objectively used,
conceal an anthropomorphism in themselves; yet the design of its use
is not to determine the nature of that Being which is unattainable by
us, but to determine ourselves and our will accordingly. We may call
a cause after the concept which we have of its effect (though only
in reference to this relation), without thereby meaning to determine
internally its inner constitution, by means of the properties which
can be made known to us solely by similar causes and must be given in
experience. For example, amongst other properties we ascribe to the
soul a _vis locomotiva_ because bodily movements actually arise whose
cause lies in the representation of them; without therefore meaning
to ascribe to it the only mode [of action] that we know in moving
forces (viz. by attraction, pressure, impulse, and consequently motion,
which always presuppose an extended being). Just so we must assume
_something_, which contains the ground of the possibility and practical
reality, _i.e._ the practicability, of a necessary moral final purpose;
but we can think of this, in accordance with the character of the
effect expected of it, as a wise Being governing the world according
to moral laws, and, conformably to the constitution of our cognitive
faculties, as a cause of things distinct from nature, only in order
to express the _relation_ of this Being (which transcends all our
cognitive faculties) to the Objects of _our_ practical Reason. We do
not pretend thus to ascribe to it theoretically the only causality of
this kind known to us, viz. an Understanding and a Will: we do not
even pretend to distinguish objectively the causality thought in this
Being, as regards what is _for us_ final purpose, from the causality
thought in it as regards nature (and its purposive determinations in
general).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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