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the critique of pure reason-第39部分

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time in itself is not an object of perception; consequently the

permanent in phenomena must be regarded as the substratum of all

determination of time; and consequently also as the condition of the

possibility of all synthetical unity of perceptions; that is; of

experience; and all existence and all change in time can only be

regarded as a mode in the existence of that which abides unchangeably。

Therefore; in all phenomena; the permanent is the object in itself;

that is; the substance (phenomenon); but all that changes or can

change belongs only to the mode of the existence of this substance

or substances; consequently to its determinations。

  I find that in all ages not only the philosopher; but even the

common understanding; has preposited this permanence as a substratum

of all change in phenomena; indeed; I am compelled to believe that

they will always accept this as an indubitable fact。 Only the

philosopher expresses himself in a more precise and definite manner;

when he says: 〃In all changes in the world; the substance remains; and

the accidents alone are changeable。〃 But of this decidedly synthetical

proposition; I nowhere meet with even an attempt at proof; nay; it

very rarely has the good fortune to stand; as it deserves to do; at

the head of the pure and entirely a priori laws of nature。 In truth;

the statement that substance is permanent; is tautological。 For this

very permanence is the ground on which we apply the category of

substance to the phenomenon; and we should have been obliged to

prove that in all phenomena there is something permanent; of the

existence of which the changeable is nothing but a determination。

But because a proof of this nature cannot be dogmatical; that is;

cannot be drawn from conceptions; inasmuch as it concerns a

synthetical proposition a priori; and as philosophers never

reflected that such propositions are valid only in relation to

possible experience; and therefore cannot be proved except by means of

a deduction of the possibility of experience; it is no wonder that

while it has served as the foundation of all experience (for we feel

the need of it in empirical cognition); it has never been supported by

proof。

  A philosopher was asked: 〃What is the weight of smoke?〃 He answered:

〃Subtract from the weight of the burnt wood the weight of the

remaining ashes; and you will have the weight of the smoke。〃 Thus he

presumed it to be incontrovertible that even in fire the matter

(substance) does not perish; but that only the form of it undergoes

a change。 In like manner was the saying: 〃From nothing comes nothing;〃

only another inference from the principle or permanence; or rather

of the ever…abiding existence of the true subject in phenomena。 For if

that in the phenomenon which we call substance is to be the proper

substratum of all determination of time; it follows that all existence

in past as well as in future time; must be determinable by means of it

alone。 Hence we are entitled to apply the term substance to a

phenomenon; only because we suppose its existence in all time; a

notion which the word permanence does not fully express; as it seems

rather to be referable to future time。 However; the internal necessity

perpetually to be; is inseparably connected with the necessity

always to have been; and so the expression may stand as it is。

〃Gigni de nihilo nihil; in nihilum nil posse reverti;〃* are two

propositions which the ancients never parted; and which people

nowadays sometimes mistakenly disjoin; because they imagine that the

propositions apply to objects as things in themselves; and that the

former might be inimical to the dependence (even in respect of its

substance also) of the world upon a supreme cause。 But this

apprehension is entirely needless; for the question in this case is

only of phenomena in the sphere of experience; the unity of which

never could be possible; if we admitted the possibility that new

things (in respect of their substance) should arise。 For in that case;

we should lose altogether that which alone can represent the unity

of time; to wit; the identity of the substratum; as that through which

alone all change possesses complete and thorough unity。 This

permanence is; however; nothing but the manner in which we represent

to ourselves the existence of things in the phenomenal world。



  *'Persius; Satirae; iii。83…84。 〃Nothing can be produced from

nothing; nothing can be returned into nothing。〃'



  The determinations of a substance; which are only particular modes

of its existence; are called accidents。 They are always real;

because they concern the existence of substance (negations are only

determinations; which express the non…existence of something in the

substance)。 Now; if to this real in the substance we ascribe a

particular existence (for example; to motion as an accident of

matter); this existence is called inherence; in contradistinction to

the existence of substance; which we call subsistence。 But hence arise

many misconceptions; and it would be a more accurate and just mode

of expression to designate the accident only as the mode in which

the existence of a substance is positively determined。 Meanwhile; by

reason of the conditions of the logical exercise of our understanding;

it is impossible to avoid separating; as it were; that which in the

existence of a substance is subject to change; whilst the substance

remains; and regarding it in relation to that which is properly

permanent and radical。 On this account; this category of substance

stands under the title of relation; rather because it is the condition

thereof than because it contains in itself any relation。

  Now; upon this notion of permanence rests the proper notion of the

conception change。 Origin and extinction are not changes of that which

originates or becomes extinct。 Change is but a mode of existence;

which follows on another mode of existence of the same object; hence

all that changes is permanent; and only the condition thereof changes。

Now since this mutation affects only determinations; which can have

a beginning or an end; we may say; employing an expression which seems

somewhat paradoxical: 〃Only the permanent (substance) is subject to

change; the mutable suffers no change; but rather alternation; that

is; when certain determinations cease; others begin。〃

  Change; when; cannot be perceived by us except in substances; and

origin or extinction in an absolute sense; that does not concern

merely a determination of the permanent; cannot be a possible

perception; for it is this very notion of the permanent which

renders possible the representation of a transition from one state

into another; and from non…being to being; which; consequently; can be

empirically cognized only as alternating determinations of that

which is permanent。 Grant that a thing absolutely begins to be; we

must then have a point of time in which it was not。 But how and by

what can we fix and determine this point of time; unless by that which

already exists? For a void time… preceding… is not an object of

perception; but if we connect this beginning with objects which

existed previously; and which continue to exist till the object in

question in question begins to be; then the latter can only be a

determination of the former as the permanent。 The same holds good of

the notion of extinction; for this presupposes the empirical

representation of a time; in which a phenomenon no longer exists。

  Substances (in the world of phenomena) are the substratum of all

determinations of time。 The beginning of some; and the ceasing to be

of other substances; would utterly do away with the only condition

of the empirical unity of time; and in that case phenomena would

relate to two different times; in which; side by side; existence would

pass; which is absurd。 For there is only one time in which all

different times must be placed; not as coexistent; but as successive。

  Accordingly; permanence is a necessary condition under which alone

phenomena; as things or objects; are determinable in a possible

experience。 But as regards the empirical criterion of this necessary

permanence; and with it of the substantiality of phenomena; we shall

find sufficient opportunity to speak in the sequel。



                   B。 SECOND ANALOGY。



      Principle of the Succession of Time According

                to the Law of Causality。



     All changes take place according to the law of the

              connection of Cause and Effect。



                         PROOF。



  (That all phenomena in the succession of time are only changes; that

is; a successive being and non…being of the determinations of

substance; which is permanent; consequently that a being of

substance itself which follows on the non…being thereof; or a

non…being of substance which follows on the being thereof; in other

words; that the origin or extinction of substance itself; is

impossible… all this has been fully established in treating of the

foregoing principle。 This principle might have been expressed as

follows: 〃All alteration (succession) of phenomena is merely

change〃; for the changes of substance are not origin or extinction;

because the conception of change presupposes the same subject as

existing with two opposite determinations; and consequently as

permanent。 After this premonition; we shall proceed to the proof。)

  I perceive that phenomena succeed one another; that is to say; a

state of things exists at one time; the opposite of which existed in a

former state。 In this case; then; I really connect together two

perceptions in time。 Now connection is not an operation of mere

sense and intuition; but is the product of a synthetical faculty of

imagination; which determines the internal sense in respect of a

relation of time。 But imagination can connect these two states in

two ways; so that either the one or the other may antecede

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