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conclusion by one of the members of the division。 It follows that
reason； in laying the transcendental ideal at the foundation of its
determination of all possible things； takes a course in exact
analogy with that which it pursues in disjunctive syllogisms… a
proposition which formed the basis of the systematic division of all
transcendental ideas； according to which they are produced in complete
parallelism with the three modes of syllogistic reasoning employed
by the human mind。
It is self…evident that reason； in cogitating the necessary complete
determination of things； does not presuppose the existence of a
being corresponding to its ideal； but merely the idea of the ideal…
for the purpose of deducing from the unconditional totality of
complete determination； The ideal is therefore the prototype of all
things； which； as defective copies （ectypa）； receive from it the
material of their possibility； and approximate to it more or less；
though it is impossible that they can ever attain to its perfection。
The possibility of things must therefore be regarded as derived…
except that of the thing which contains in itself all reality； which
must be considered to be primitive and original。 For all negations…
and they are the only predicates by means of which all other things
can be distinguished from the ens realissimum… are mere limitations of
a greater and a higher… nay； the highest reality； and they
consequently presuppose this reality； and are； as regards their
content； derived from it。 The manifold nature of things is only an
infinitely various mode of limiting the conception of the highest
reality； which is their common substratum； just as all figures are
possible only as different modes of limiting infinite space。 The
object of the ideal of reason… an object existing only in reason
itself… is also termed the primal being （ens originarium）； as having
no existence superior to him； the supreme being （ens summum）； and as
being the condition of all other beings； which rank under it； the
being of all beings （ens entium）。 But none of these terms indicate the
objective relation of an actually existing object to other things； but
merely that of an idea to conceptions； and all our investigations into
this subject still leave us in perfect uncertainty with regard to
the existence of this being。
A primal being cannot be said to consist of many other beings with
an existence which is derivative； for the latter presuppose the
former； and therefore cannot be constitutive parts of it。 It follows
that the ideal of the primal being must be cogitated as simple。
The deduction of the possibility of all other things from this
primal being cannot； strictly speaking； be considered as a limitation；
or as a kind of division of its reality； for this would be regarding
the primal being as a mere aggregate… which has been shown to be
impossible； although it was so represented in our first rough
sketch。 The highest reality must be regarded rather as the ground than
as the sum…total of the possibility of all things； and the manifold
nature of things be based； not upon the limitation of the primal being
itself； but upon the complete series of effects which flow from it。
And thus all our powers of sense； as well as all phenomenal reality；
phenomenal reality； may be with propriety regarded as belonging to
this series of effects； while they could not have formed parts of
the idea； considered as an aggregate。 Pursuing this track； and
hypostatizing this idea； we shall find ourselves authorized to
determine our notion of the Supreme Being by means of the mere
conception of a highest reality； as one； simple； all…sufficient；
eternal； and so on… in one word； to determine it in its
unconditioned completeness by the aid of every possible predicate。 The
conception of such a being is the conception of God in its
transcendental sense； and thus the ideal of pure reason is the
object…matter of a transcendental theology。
But； by such an employment of the transcendental idea； we should
be over stepping the limits of its validity and purpose。 For reason
placed it； as the conception of all reality； at the basis of the
complete determination of things； without requiring that this
conception be regarded as the conception of an objective existence。
Such an existence would be purely fictitious； and the hypostatizing of
the content of the idea into an ideal； as an individual being； is a
step perfectly unauthorized。 Nay； more； we are not even called upon to
assume the possibility of such an hypothesis； as none of the
deductions drawn from such an ideal would affect the complete
determination of things in general… for the sake of which alone is the
idea necessary。
It is not sufficient to circumscribe the procedure and the dialectic
of reason； we must also endeavour to discover the sources of this
dialectic； that we may have it in our power to give a rational
explanation of this illusion； as a phenomenon of the human mind。 For
the ideal； of which we are at present speaking； is based； not upon
an arbitrary； but upon a natural； idea。 The question hence arises： How
happens it that reason regards the possibility of all things as
deduced from a single possibility； that； to wit； of the highest
reality； and presupposes this as existing in an individual and
primal being？
The answer is ready； it is at once presented by the procedure of
transcendental analytic。 The possibility of sensuous objects is a
relation of these objects to thought； in which something （the
empirical form） may be cogitated a priori； while that which
constitutes the matter… the reality of the phenomenon （that element
which corresponds to sensation）… must be given from without； as
otherwise it could not even be cogitated by； nor could its possibility
be presentable to the mind。 Now； a sensuous object is completely
determined； when it has been compared with all phenomenal
predicates； and represented by means of these either positively or
negatively。 But； as that which constitutes the thing itself… the
real in a phenomenon； must be given； and that； in which the real of
all phenomena is given； is experience； one； sole； and all…embracing…
the material of the possibility of all sensuous objects must be
presupposed as given in a whole； and it is upon the limitation of this
whole that the possibility of all empirical objects； their distinction
from each other and their complete determination； are based。 Now； no
other objects are presented to us besides sensuous objects； and
these can be given only in connection with a possible experience； it
follows that a thing is not an object to us； unless it presupposes the
whole or sum…total of empirical reality as the condition of its
possibility。 Now； a natural illusion leads us to consider this
principle； which is valid only of sensuous objects； as valid with
regard to things in general。 And thus we are induced to hold the
empirical principle of our conceptions of