possible¡¡perception¡¡has¡¡been¡¡added¡¡to¡¡the¡¡experience¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mind¡£
But¡¡if¡¡we¡¡cogitate¡¡existence¡¡by¡¡the¡¡pure¡¡category¡¡alone£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡not
to¡¡be¡¡wondered¡¡at£»¡¡that¡¡we¡¡should¡¡find¡¡ourselves¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡present¡¡any
criterion¡¡sufficient¡¡to¡¡distinguish¡¡it¡¡from¡¡mere¡¡possibility¡£
¡¡¡¡Whatever¡¡be¡¡the¡¡content¡¡of¡¡our¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡an¡¡object£»¡¡it¡¡is
necessary¡¡to¡¡go¡¡beyond¡¡it£»¡¡if¡¡we¡¡wish¡¡to¡¡predicate¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡the
object¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡sensuous¡¡objects£»¡¡this¡¡is¡¡attained¡¡by¡¡their
connection¡¡according¡¡to¡¡empirical¡¡laws¡¡with¡¡some¡¡one¡¡of¡¡my
perceptions£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡means¡¡of¡¡cognizing¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of
objects¡¡of¡¡pure¡¡thought£»¡¡because¡¡it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡cognized¡¡completely¡¡a
priori¡£¡¡But¡¡all¡¡our¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡existence¡¡£¨be¡¡it¡¡immediately¡¡by
perception£»¡¡or¡¡by¡¡inferences¡¡connecting¡¡some¡¡object¡¡with¡¡a¡¡perception£©
belongs¡¡entirely¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sphere¡¡of¡¡experience¡¡¡which¡¡is¡¡in¡¡perfect
unity¡¡with¡¡itself£»¡¡and¡¡although¡¡an¡¡existence¡¡out¡¡of¡¡this¡¡sphere¡¡cannot
be¡¡absolutely¡¡declared¡¡to¡¡be¡¡impossible£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a¡¡hypothesis¡¡the
truth¡¡of¡¡which¡¡we¡¡have¡¡no¡¡means¡¡of¡¡ascertaining¡£
¡¡¡¡The¡¡notion¡¡of¡¡a¡¡Supreme¡¡Being¡¡is¡¡in¡¡many¡¡respects¡¡a¡¡highly¡¡useful
idea£»¡¡but¡¡for¡¡the¡¡very¡¡reason¡¡that¡¡it¡¡is¡¡an¡¡idea£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡incapable¡¡of
enlarging¡¡our¡¡cognition¡¡with¡¡regard¡¡to¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡things¡£¡¡It
is¡¡not¡¡even¡¡sufficient¡¡to¡¡instruct¡¡us¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡possibility¡¡of¡¡a¡¡being
which¡¡we¡¡do¡¡not¡¡know¡¡to¡¡exist¡£¡¡The¡¡analytical¡¡criterion¡¡of
possibility£»¡¡which¡¡consists¡¡in¡¡the¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡contradiction¡¡in
propositions£»¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡denied¡¡it¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡connection¡¡of¡¡real
properties¡¡in¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡is¡¡a¡¡synthesis¡¡of¡¡the¡¡possibility¡¡of¡¡which¡¡an
a¡¡priori¡¡judgement¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡formed£»¡¡because¡¡these¡¡realities¡¡are¡¡not
presented¡¡to¡¡us¡¡specifically£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡if¡¡this¡¡were¡¡to¡¡happen£»¡¡a
judgement¡¡would¡¡still¡¡be¡¡impossible£»¡¡because¡¡the¡¡criterion¡¡of¡¡the
possibility¡¡of¡¡synthetical¡¡cognitions¡¡must¡¡be¡¡sought¡¡for¡¡in¡¡the
world¡¡of¡¡experience£»¡¡to¡¡which¡¡the¡¡object¡¡of¡¡an¡¡idea¡¡cannot¡¡belong¡£¡¡And
thus¡¡the¡¡celebrated¡¡Leibnitz¡¡has¡¡utterly¡¡failed¡¡in¡¡his¡¡attempt¡¡to
establish¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡priori¡¡grounds¡¡the¡¡possibility¡¡of¡¡this¡¡sublime
ideal¡¡being¡£
¡¡¡¡The¡¡celebrated¡¡ontological¡¡or¡¡Cartesian¡¡argument¡¡for¡¡the¡¡existence
of¡¡a¡¡Supreme¡¡Being¡¡is¡¡therefore¡¡insufficient£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡may¡¡as¡¡well
hope¡¡to¡¡increase¡¡our¡¡stock¡¡of¡¡knowledge¡¡by¡¡the¡¡aid¡¡of¡¡mere¡¡ideas£»¡¡as
the¡¡merchant¡¡to¡¡augment¡¡his¡¡wealth¡¡by¡¡the¡¡addition¡¡of¡¡noughts¡¡to¡¡his
cash¡¡account¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡SECTION¡¡V¡£¡¡Of¡¡the¡¡Impossibility¡¡of¡¡a¡¡Cosmological¡¡Proof
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Existence¡¡of¡¡God¡£
¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡by¡¡no¡¡means¡¡a¡¡natural¡¡course¡¡of¡¡proceeding£»¡¡but£»¡¡on¡¡the
contrary£»¡¡an¡¡invention¡¡entirely¡¡due¡¡to¡¡the¡¡subtlety¡¡of¡¡the¡¡schools£»¡¡to
attempt¡¡to¡¡draw¡¡from¡¡a¡¡mere¡¡idea¡¡a¡¡proof¡¡of¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡an¡¡object
corresponding¡¡to¡¡it¡£¡¡Such¡¡a¡¡course¡¡would¡¡never¡¡have¡¡been¡¡pursued£»¡¡were
it¡¡not¡¡for¡¡that¡¡need¡¡of¡¡reason¡¡which¡¡requires¡¡it¡¡to¡¡suppose¡¡the
existence¡¡of¡¡a¡¡necessary¡¡being¡¡as¡¡a¡¡basis¡¡for¡¡the¡¡empirical¡¡regress£»
and¡¡that£»¡¡as¡¡this¡¡necessity¡¡must¡¡be¡¡unconditioned¡¡and¡¡a¡¡priori£»¡¡reason
is¡¡bound¡¡to¡¡discover¡¡a¡¡conception¡¡which¡¡shall¡¡satisfy£»¡¡if¡¡possible£»
this¡¡requirement£»¡¡and¡¡enable¡¡us¡¡to¡¡attain¡¡to¡¡the¡¡a¡¡priori¡¡cognition¡¡of
such¡¡a¡¡being¡£¡¡This¡¡conception¡¡was¡¡thought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡in¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of
an¡¡ens¡¡realissimum£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡this¡¡idea¡¡was¡¡employed¡¡for¡¡the¡¡attainment
of¡¡a¡¡better¡¡defined¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡a¡¡necessary¡¡being£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡existence
of¡¡which¡¡we¡¡were¡¡convinced£»¡¡or¡¡persuaded£»¡¡on¡¡other¡¡grounds¡£¡¡Thus
reason¡¡was¡¡seduced¡¡from¡¡her¡¡natural¡¡courage£»¡¡and£»¡¡instead¡¡of
concluding¡¡with¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡an¡¡ens¡¡realissimum£»¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡was
made¡¡to¡¡begin¡¡with¡¡it£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡inferring¡¡from¡¡it¡¡that
idea¡¡of¡¡a¡¡necessary¡¡existence¡¡which¡¡it¡¡was¡¡in¡¡fact¡¡called¡¡in¡¡to
complete¡£¡¡Thus¡¡arose¡¡that¡¡unfortunate¡¡ontological¡¡argument£»¡¡which
neither¡¡satisfies¡¡the¡¡healthy¡¡common¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡humanity£»¡¡nor¡¡sustains
the¡¡scientific¡¡examination¡¡of¡¡the¡¡philosopher¡£
¡¡¡¡The¡¡cosmological¡¡proof£»¡¡which¡¡we¡¡are¡¡about¡¡to¡¡examine£»¡¡retains¡¡the
connection¡¡between¡¡absolute¡¡necessity¡¡and¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡reality£»¡¡but£»
instead¡¡of¡¡reasoning¡¡from¡¡this¡¡highest¡¡reality¡¡to¡¡a¡¡necessary
existence£»¡¡like¡¡the¡¡preceding¡¡argument£»¡¡it¡¡concludes¡¡from¡¡the¡¡given¡£
unconditioned¡¡necessity¡¡of¡¡some¡¡being¡¡its¡¡unlimited¡¡reality¡£¡¡The¡¡track
it¡¡pursues£»¡¡whether¡¡rational¡¡or¡¡sophistical£»¡¡is¡¡at¡¡least¡¡natural£»
and¡¡not¡¡only¡¡goes¡¡far¡¡to¡¡persuade¡¡the¡¡common¡¡understanding£»¡¡but
shows¡¡itself¡¡deserving¡¡of¡¡respect¡¡from¡¡the¡¡speculative¡¡intellect£»
while¡¡it¡¡contains£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡time£»¡¡the¡¡outlines¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡arguments
employed¡¡in¡¡natural¡¡theology¡¡¡arguments¡¡which¡¡always¡¡have¡¡been£»¡¡and
still¡¡will¡¡be£»¡¡in¡¡use¡¡and¡¡authority¡£¡¡These£»¡¡however¡¡adorned£»¡¡and¡¡hid
under¡¡whatever¡¡embellishments¡¡of¡¡rhetoric¡¡and¡¡sentiment£»¡¡are¡¡at¡¡bottom
identical¡¡with¡¡the¡¡arguments¡¡we¡¡are¡¡at¡¡present¡¡to¡¡discuss¡£¡¡This¡¡proof£»
termed¡¡by¡¡Leibnitz¡¡the¡¡argumentum¡¡a¡¡contingentia¡¡mundi£»¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡now
lay¡¡before¡¡the¡¡reader£»¡¡and¡¡subject¡¡to¡¡a¡¡strict¡¡examination¡£
¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡framed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡following¡¡manner£º¡¡If¡¡something¡¡exists£»¡¡an
absolutely¡¡necessary¡¡being¡¡must¡¡likewise¡¡exist¡£¡¡Now¡¡I£»¡¡at¡¡least£»
exist¡£¡¡Consequently£»¡¡there¡¡exists¡¡an¡¡absolutely¡¡necessary¡¡being¡£¡¡The
minor¡¡contains¡¡an¡¡experience£»¡¡the¡¡major¡¡reasons¡¡from¡¡a¡¡general
experience¡¡to¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡a¡¡necessary¡¡being¡£*¡¡Thus¡¡this
argument¡¡really¡¡begins¡¡at¡¡experience£»¡¡and¡¡is¡¡not¡¡completely¡¡a
priori£»¡¡or¡¡ontological¡£¡¡The¡¡object¡¡of¡¡all¡¡possible¡¡experience¡¡being
the¡¡world£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡called¡¡the¡¡cosmological¡¡proof¡£¡¡It¡¡contains¡¡no
reference¡¡to¡¡any¡¡peculiar¡¡property¡¡of¡¡sensuous¡¡objects£»¡¡by¡¡which
this¡¡world¡¡of¡¡sense¡¡might¡¡be¡¡distinguished¡¡from¡¡other¡¡possible¡¡worlds£»
and¡¡in¡¡this¡¡respect¡¡it¡¡differs¡¡from¡¡the¡¡physico¡theological¡¡proof£»
which¡¡is¡¡based¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡consideration¡¡of¡¡the¡¡peculiar¡¡constitution
of¡¡our¡¡sensuous¡¡world¡£
¡¡¡¡*This¡¡inference¡¡is¡¡too¡¡well¡¡known¡¡to¡¡require¡¡more¡¡detailed
discussion¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡based¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡spurious¡¡transcendental¡¡law¡¡of
causality£»¡¡that¡¡everything¡¡which¡¡is¡¡contingent¡¡has¡¡a¡¡cause£»¡¡which£»
if¡¡itself¡¡contingent£»¡¡must¡¡also¡¡have¡¡a¡¡cause£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡on£»¡¡till¡¡the
series¡¡of¡¡subordinated¡¡causes¡¡must¡¡end¡¡with¡¡an¡¡absolutely¡¡necessary
cause£»¡¡without¡¡which¡¡it¡¡would¡¡not¡¡possess¡¡completeness¡£
¡¡¡¡The¡¡proof¡¡proceeds¡¡thus£º¡¡A¡¡necessary¡¡being¡¡can¡¡be¡¡determined¡¡only¡¡in
one¡¡way£»¡¡that¡¡is£»¡¡it¡¡can¡¡be¡¡determined¡¡by¡¡only¡¡one¡¡of¡¡all¡¡possible
opposed¡¡predicates£»¡¡consequently£»¡¡it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡completely¡¡determined
in¡¡and¡¡by¡¡its¡¡conception¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡is¡¡only¡¡a¡¡single¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡a
thing¡¡possible£»¡¡which¡¡completely¡¡determines¡¡the¡¡thing¡¡a¡¡priori£º¡¡that
is£»¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ens¡¡realissimum¡£¡¡It¡¡follows¡¡that¡¡the
conception¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ens¡¡realissimum¡¡is¡¡the¡¡only¡¡conception¡¡by¡¡and¡¡in
which¡¡we¡¡can¡¡cogitate¡¡a¡¡necessary¡¡being¡£¡¡Consequently£»¡¡a¡¡Supreme¡¡Being
necessarily¡¡exists¡£
¡¡¡¡In¡¡this¡¡cosmological¡¡argument¡¡are¡¡assembled¡¡so¡¡many¡¡sophistical
propositions¡¡that¡¡speculative¡¡reason¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡have¡¡exerted¡¡in¡¡it¡¡all
her¡¡dialectical¡¡skill¡¡to¡¡produce¡¡a¡¡transcendental¡¡illusion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most
extreme¡¡character¡£¡¡We¡¡shall¡¡postpone¡¡an¡¡investigation¡¡of¡¡this¡¡argument
for¡¡the¡¡present£»¡¡and¡¡confine¡¡ourselves¡¡to¡¡exposing¡¡the¡¡stratagem¡¡by
which¡¡it¡¡imposes¡¡upon¡¡us¡¡an¡¡old¡¡argument¡¡in¡¡a¡¡new¡¡dress£»¡¡and¡¡appeals
to¡¡the¡¡agreement¡¡of¡¡two¡¡witnesses£»¡¡the¡¡one¡¡with¡¡the¡¡credentials¡¡of
pure¡¡reason£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡with¡¡those¡¡of¡¡empiricism£»¡¡while£»¡¡in¡¡fact£»
it¡¡is¡¡only¡¡the¡¡former¡¡who¡¡has¡¡changed¡¡his¡¡dress¡¡and¡¡voice£»¡¡for¡¡the
purpose¡¡of¡¡passing¡¡himself¡¡off¡¡for¡¡an¡¡additional¡¡witness¡£¡¡That¡¡it
may¡¡possess¡¡a¡¡secure¡¡foundation£»¡¡it¡¡bases¡¡its¡¡conclusions¡¡upon
experience£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡appears¡¡to¡¡be¡¡completely¡¡distinct¡¡from¡¡the
ontological¡¡argument£»¡¡which¡¡places¡¡its¡¡confidence¡¡entirely¡¡in¡¡pure¡¡a
priori¡¡conceptions¡£¡¡But¡¡this¡¡experience¡¡merely¡¡aids¡¡reason¡¡in¡¡making
one¡¡step¡¡¡to¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡a¡¡necessary¡¡being¡£¡¡What¡¡the¡¡properties
of¡¡this¡¡being¡¡are¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡learned¡¡from¡¡experience£»¡¡and¡¡therefore
reason¡¡abandons¡¡it¡¡altogether£»¡¡and¡¡pursues¡¡its¡¡inquiries¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sphere
of¡¡pure¡¡conception£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡discovering¡¡what¡¡the¡¡properties
of¡¡an¡¡absolutely¡¡necessary¡¡being¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be£»¡¡that¡¡is£»¡¡what¡¡among
all¡¡possible¡¡things¡¡contain¡¡the¡¡conditions¡¡£¨requisita£©¡¡of¡¡absolute
necessity¡£¡¡Reason¡¡believes¡¡that¡¡it¡¡has¡¡discovered¡¡these¡¡requisites
in¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡an¡¡ens¡¡realissimum¡¡¡and¡¡in¡¡it¡¡alone£»¡¡and¡¡hence
concludes£º¡¡The¡¡ens¡¡realissimum¡¡is¡¡an¡¡absolutely¡¡necessary¡¡being¡£¡¡But
it¡¡is¡¡evident¡¡that¡¡reason¡¡has¡¡here¡¡presupposed¡¡that¡¡the¡¡conception
of¡¡an¡¡ens¡¡realissimum¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡adequate¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡a
being¡¡of¡¡absolute¡¡necessity£»¡¡that¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡we¡¡may¡¡infer¡¡the
existence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡from¡¡that¡¡of¡¡the¡¡former¡¡¡a¡¡proposition¡¡which
formed¡¡the¡¡basis¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ontological¡¡argument£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡is¡¡now
employed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡support¡¡of¡¡the¡¡cosmological¡¡argument£»¡¡contrary¡¡to
the¡¡wish¡¡and¡¡professions¡¡of¡¡its¡¡inventors¡£¡¡For¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡an
absolutely¡¡necessary¡¡being¡¡is¡¡given¡¡in¡¡conceptions¡¡alone¡£¡¡But¡¡if¡¡I
say£º¡¡¡¨The¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ens¡¡realissimum¡¡is¡¡a¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡this
kind£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡fact¡¡the¡¡only¡¡conception¡¡which¡¡is¡¡adequate¡¡to¡¡our¡¡idea¡¡of
a¡¡necessary¡¡being£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡am¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡admit£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡may¡¡be
inferred¡¡from¡¡the¡¡former¡£¡¡Thus¡¡it¡¡is¡¡properly¡¡the¡¡ontolog
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£
ÔÞÒ»ÏÂ
Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü