ii USELESS KNOWLEDGE 29 



Yes, I know that ; you mean as exercise of function ? 

 The speculative life also is something we do, it is the 

 exercise of a characteristic human activity, and so has an 

 excellence and contributes to our happiness. 

 Precisely. 



Very well then, what I meant was that you did not 

 derive practical from theoretic activity. 

 Certainly not 



The two are as far opposed as is practically possible. 

 Yes. 



But speculative wisdom is by far the loftier ? 

 Of course. 



And far too lofty to be useful ? 

 So I maintain. 



Very well again. Now for a third view. Is it not 

 possible to maintain with you that the practical and the 

 speculative reason are different and opposed to each other, 

 but that the former is the superior, so that in the end we 

 must believe and practically act on what we do not know 

 to be true ? And is not this the converse of your view, 

 Aristotle ? 



I suppose it is, but if that is your view, I tell you 

 frankly that I never heard anything more absurd. 



In that case it is lucky, perhaps, that it is not my 

 view. 



Who then has been confused enough in his mind to 

 propound it ? 



It is the view of the great Scythian, Kant, who nearly 

 criticised the reason out of the world. 



Ah, I know, a queer little hunchback of a barbarian ! 

 He came here once, not so long ago, but would not stay 

 and could not say anything intelligible. I could only 

 make out that he was seeking the Infinite (faugh !), and 

 was impelled by something he called a Categorical Im 

 perative (unknown alike to logic and to grammar). 

 Possessed by evil demons he seemed to us. Nothing 

 Hellenic about him at all events ! 



I don t wonder at what you say, nor that Plato agrees 

 with you. Nevertheless, he was a remarkable man, on his 



