Kant's Prolegomena : and Metaphysical foundations of natural science / translated from the original, with a biography and introduction, by Ernest Belfort Bax.

  • Kant, Immanuel, 1724-1804.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Kant's Prolegomena : and Metaphysical foundations of natural science / translated from the original, with a biography and introduction, by Ernest Belfort Bax. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    square brackets, as a clistinction from Kant’s own, only too rmmerous, braclceted clauses. The praotice of in- variably retaining one particular English equi valent for a German word irrespective of nsage bas not been adhered to, tke same word being variously translated according to circumstances. Vorstellung (in a philosophical sense) has been rendered by “ presentation,” and the pedantic and nn-English “ cogitate ” for denken, generally speaking discarded, wliere the Anglo-Saxon “ think ” was not available, or would have had a forced look, “ conceive ” being used instead. Other slight deviations from tradi- tional precedent will be observed by the careful reader. It may be worth while to mention that Dr. Yaihinger, of Strasburg, has indicated (“Philosophische Monatshefte,” XV., pp. 321-332 and 513-532) a remarkable confusion in the paragraphing near the commencement of the Prolegomena. For the conclusive arguments which he adduces in support of his alteration, the reader must be referred to the articles themselves, space only admitting of the result of his investigations being given. This (we quote his own words) is as follows :—“ The printer has erroneously introduced the paragraph [p. 18of present volume] ‘ The essential feature distinguishing pure mathematical knowledge,’ &c., down to the sentence on p. 20, concluding with the words ‘ make up the essential content of metaphysics,’ into § 4, whereas it directly and with strict logic follows the conclusion of § 2, p. 16, ‘but by means of an added intuition upon its subject.’ ” Dr. Vaihinger instances sundry misconceptions that have arisen from what was probably an accidental misplacement in the leaves of the manuscript.* * The subject of the Prolegomenais aisodealt with by Dr. Yaihinger in his invaluable and exhaustive Commentary to the Critique, at pp. 38, 141, 145, 163, 280, 298, 303-4, 318, 335, 340-350, 380, 412, 442, &c., of Yol. I.