The positive outcome of philosophyDietzgen, Joseph
Philosophy
The positive outcome of philosophy
Dietzgen, Joseph
Knowledge, Theory of; Logic; Philosophy
The intellect is innate in us, and with it and through it also the
consciousness of being, although it is innate in us only as the teeth of
the child which grow after birth. Everything that we become aware of is
known only as a part of the universe. In so far as this is wonderful,
the consciousness of causality is miraculous. But, in fact, the
knowledge of the causality of all things is innate wisdom the same as
that of the color of all white and black horses. At the same time it
must be observed that every innate knowledge is in part acquired, and
every acquired knowledge in part innate, so that both kinds intermingle
and form one category.
My whole argument aims to convince you that all things are worldly
things, and their causality is only another name for the same thing,
just as the German _brot_ is called _pain_ in French and _bread_ in
English. Thus we derive the firm conviction that if there is _pain_ in
heaven there will be bread, and if there are things, there will be
causes and effects, or interrelation with the unit of existence.
The mystery of causality is sometimes expressed by the statement that we
possess the indubitable knowledge which extends beyond all experience
that wherever a change takes place there must have preceded another
change. Indeed, we have the faculty of recognizing the unity in the
infinite multiplicity, and infinite multiplicity in the unity.
Multiplicity, change, motion--who is to split hairs about them, who will
make fine distinctions? The intellect is the photographic organ of the
infinite motion and transformations called the "world." It is and
possesses the consciousness of cosmic changes. Is it a wonder that it
knows that there is interrelation in its things, that no part of the
world, not a particle of its motion and transformations, stands alone by
itself, that everything is connected and mutually dependent in and with
the universe? Because this understanding is in a way innate in the
intellect, therefore it understands that there is nothing but change,
infinitely proceeding transformations. And if it detaches any single
thing from this process, it knows that changes preceded it and changes
will follow.
In short, we must not marvel at any single part of nature, not even at
the intellect, but admire the whole universe. Then fetishism will at
last end and a true cult, the cult of world truth, can begin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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