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necessary limitation of our reason； our opponents must submit to the
same law of renunciation and refrain from advancing claims to dogmatic
assertion。
But the right； say rather the necessity to admit a future life； upon
principles of the practical conjoined with the speculative use of
reason； has lost nothing by this renunciation； for the merely
speculative proof has never had any influence upon the common reason
of men。 It stands upon the point of a hair； so that even the schools
have been able to preserve it from falling only by incessantly
discussing it and spinning it like a top； and even in their eyes it
has never been able to present any safe foundation for the erection of
a theory。 The proofs which have been current among men； preserve their
value undiminished； nay； rather gain in clearness and
unsophisticated power； by the rejection of the dogmatical
assumptions of speculative reason。 For reason is thus confined
within her own peculiar province… the arrangement of ends or aims；
which is at the same time the arrangement of nature； and； as a
practical faculty； without limiting itself to the latter； it is
justified in extending the former； and with it our own existence；
beyond the boundaries of experience and life。 If we turn our attention
to the analogy of the nature of living beings in this world； in the
consideration of which reason is obliged to accept as a principle that
no organ； no faculty； no appetite is useless； and that nothing is
superfluous； nothing disproportionate to its use； nothing unsuited
to its end； but that； on the contrary； everything is perfectly
conformed to its destination in life… we shall find that man； who
alone is the final end and aim of this order； is still the only animal
that seems to be excepted from it。 For his natural gifts… not merely
as regards the talents and motives that may incite him to employ them；
but especially the moral law in him… stretch so far beyond all mere
earthly utility and advantage； that he feels himself bound to prize
the mere consciousness of probity； apart from all advantageous
consequences… even the shadowy gift of posthumous fame… above
everything； and he is conscious of an inward call to constitute
himself； by his conduct in this world… without regard to mere
sublunary interests… the citizen of a better。 This mighty；
irresistible proof… accompanied by an ever…increasing knowledge of the
conformability to a purpose in everything we see around us； by the
conviction of the boundless immensity of creation； by the
consciousness of a certain illimitableness in the possible extension
of our knowledge； and by a desire commensurate therewith… remains to
humanity； even after the theoretical cognition of ourselves bas failed
to establish the necessity of an existence after death。
Conclusion of the Solution of the
Psychological Paralogism。
The dialectical illusion in rational psychology arises from our
confounding an idea of reason （of a pure intelligence） with the
conception… in every respect undetermined… of a thinking being in
general。 I cogitate myself in behalf of a possible experience； at
the same time making abstraction of all actual experience； and infer
therefrom that I can be conscious of myself apart from experience
and its empirical conditions。 I consequently confound the possible
abstraction of my empirically determined existence with the supposed
consciousness of a possible separate existence of my thinking self；
and I believe that I cognize what is substantial in myself as a
transcendental subject； when I have nothing more in thought than the
unity of consciousness； which lies at the basis of all determination
of cognition。
The task of explaining the community of the soul with the body
does not properly belong to the psychology of which we are here
speaking； because it proposes to prove the personality of the soul
apart from this communion （after death）； and is therefore transcendent
in the proper sense of the word； although occupying itself with an
object of experience… only in so far； however； as it ceases to be an
object of experience。 But a sufficient answer may be found to the
question in our system。 The difficulty which lies in the execution
of this task consists； as is well known； in the presupposed
heterogeneity of the object of the internal sense （the soul） and the
objects of the external senses； inasmuch as the formal condition of
the intuition of the one is time； and of that of the other space also。
But if we consider that both kinds of objects do not differ
internally； but only in so far as the one appears externally to the
other… consequently； that what lies at the basis of phenomena； as a
thing in itself； may not be heterogeneous； this difficulty disappears。
There then remains no other difficulty than is to be found in the
question… how a community of substances is possible； a question
which lies out of the region of psychology； and which the reader；
after what in our analytic has been said of primitive forces and
faculties； will easily judge to be also beyond the region of human
cognition。
GENERAL REMARK
On the Transition from Rational Psychology to Cosmology。
The proposition； 〃I think；〃 or； 〃I exist thinking；〃 is an
empirical proposition。 But such a proposition must be based on
empirical intuition； and the object cogitated as a phenomenon； and
thus our theory appears to maintain that the soul； even in thought； is
merely a phenomenon； and in this way our consciousness itself； in
fact； abuts upon nothing。
Thought； per se； is merely the purely spontaneous logical function
which operates to connect the manifold of a possible intuition； and it
does not represent the subject of consciousness as a phenomenon… for
this reason alone； that it pays no attention to the question whether
the mode of intuiting it is sensuous or intellectual。 I therefore do
not represent myself in thought either as I am； or as I appear to
myself； I merely cogitate myself as an object in general； of the
mode of intuiting which I make abstraction。 When I represent myself as
the subject of thought； or as the ground of thought； these modes of
representation are not related to the categories of substance or of
cause； for these are functions of thought applicable only to our
sensuous intuition。 The application of these categories to the Ego
would； however； be necessary； if I wished to make myself an object
of knowledge。 But I wish to be conscious of myself only as thinking；
in what mode my Self is given in intuition； I do not consider； and
it may be that I； who think； am a phenomenon… although not in so far
as I am a thinking being； but in the consciousness of myself in mere
thought I am a being； though this consciousness does not present to me
any property of this being as material for thought。
But the proposition； 〃I think；〃 in so far as it declares； 〃I exist
thinking；〃 is no