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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 plete 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 pleteness 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
plete 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 plete
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 pletely
determined； when it has been pared 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 plete 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 the possibility of things；
as phenomena； by leaving out this limitative condition； to be a
transcendental principle of the possibility of things in general。
We proceed afterwards to hypostatize this idea of the sum…total of
all reality； by changing the distributive unity of the empirical
exercise of the understanding into the collective unity of an
empirical whole… a dialectical illusion； and by cogitating this
whole or sum of experience as an individual thing； containing in
itself all empirical reality。 This individual thing or being is
then； by means of the above…mentioned transcendental subreption；
substituted for our notion of a thing which stands at the head of
the possibility of all things； the real conditions of whose plete
determination it presents。*
*This ideal of the ens realissimum… although merely a mental
representation… is first objectivized； that is； has an objective
existence attributed to it； then hypostatized； and finally； by the
natural progress of reason to the pletion of unity； personified； as
we shall show presently。 For the regulative unity of experience is not
based upon phenomena themselves； but upon the connection of the
variety of phenomena by the understanding in a consciousness； and thus
the unity of the supreme reality and the plete determinability of
all things； seem to reside in a supreme understanding； and；
consequently； in a conscious intelligence。
SECTION III。 Of the Arguments employed by Speculative Reason in
Proof of the Existence of a Supreme Being。
Notwithstanding the pressing necessity which reason feels； to form
some presupposition that shall serve the understanding as a proper
basis for the plete determination of its conceptions； the
idealistic and factitious nature of such a presupposition is too
evident to allow reason for a moment to persuade itself into a
belief of the objective existence of a mere creation of its own
thought。 But there are other considerations which pel reason to
seek out some resting place in the regress from the conditioned to the
unconditioned； which is not given as an actual existence from the mere
conception of it； alth