225 
PHILOSOPHY. 
thefts is never obftrufted, yet the apprehenfion itfelf can¬ 
not in all cafes come up to it. We (hall call the regreflion 
to the unconditioned, which the apprehenfion can never 
attain, the regrejfion adindefinitum; and, on the other hand, 
that to which ft can always attain, the regrejfion ad infini¬ 
tum. In the feries of progenitors I can continue indeed 
the fynthefis to the infinite, but I cannot extend my ex¬ 
perience to every member that the empirical fynthefis at¬ 
tains. The completely perfect divifion of a body can 
never take place ; but lb far as I proceed in the fynthefis, 
fo far can I accompany it with my experience. In the 
latter cafe the whole is given to me in the immediate in¬ 
tuition, and confequently alfo each part to which the de¬ 
composing fynthefis can attain is contained in the appre¬ 
henfion of the whole; in the former cafe fomething is 
given to me in the immediate intuition, but the members 
of the feries of the conditions of the conditioned, given 
in the immediate intuition, are not given to me in it, but 
I can think in the empirical fynthefis, only according to 
the laws of intuition, each member as given. 
Se£t. IX. Of the empirical ufe of the Regulative Principle 
of ReaJ'on with rej'pedl to all the Cofmological Ideas. 
It is now completely evident, that the Cofmological 
Ideas cannot refer to objects of intuition, at which they 
aim, and that fecretly a tranfcendental ufe forms their 
foundation, fince their objective reference refts upon this, 
that the objeft of the Idea is thought as given, though 
prior to the empirical fynthefis ; and we fancy we have 
an object of intuition, while we arbitrarily conceive the 
mere thought of the objective unity. It was not pofiible 
to (how the objective validity of the Categories otherwife 
than in the objects of intuition, and a tranfcendental ufe 
of them wats impofiible. This likewife applies to the 
Cofmological Ideas, for they are the Categories extended 
to the infinite. Let us fuppofe that objects (things in 
themfelves) correfpond to them; fo much atleaft is certain, 
that the empirical regreflion can never reach them % for, ac¬ 
cording to its own nature, it can only proceed from one phe¬ 
nomenon to another. On this account the cofmological 
idea cannot be a confiitutive principle that attributes objec¬ 
tive validity tothe abfolutely unconditioned. As a confti- 
tutive principle we have nothing more to do with it, and 
it is only as a regulative principle that we have now to ex- 
plain it. In this fenfe it will reveal itfelf as a doitrinal 
principle, by wbofe guidance we conftantly extend expe¬ 
rience; on the other hand, as a conftitutive principle it 
is merely dialectic, and can only refer the conception of 
the unconditioned to an object by cutting the thread of 
experience. 
1. Solution of the Cofmological Idea of the Totality of the 
Compofition of the Phenomena of a Univerfe. 
The Cofmological Principle, as well with refpedt to 
this as to all the other cofmological ideas, is a regulative 
principle , becaufe the empirical fynthefis never can meet 
with any thing abfolutely unconditioned. We therefore 
cannot fay of the world, that it is infinite, becaufe it 
would be thereby reprefented as a given whole prior to 
the empirical regreflion, whereas it is only firft of all given 
in the regreflion. We fhall however as little be able to 
fay that it is finite , that is, with regard to Time and Space, 
enclofed in bounds, becaufe the enquiry after that which 
bounds it is neceffary ; for empty Time and empty Space 
cannot be confidered as abfolute bounds, for they are 
only objefts when they are filled. Of the world itfelf as 
an object, in this refpeft, we can therefore fay nothing at 
all. It is only the regrejfion that we have to confider ; 
and to enquire, whether it is to be called a regreflion to 
the infinite or to the indefinite. 
Tile world is not given as a whole in the intuition, ei¬ 
ther with regard to time or fpace. Though the regreflion 
cannot be abfolutely terminated by any member,yet it may 
be faid of every member, that it mu ft be found in the fyn¬ 
thefis. As in the prefent cafe no whole has been given 
in the intuition, the empirical fynthefis abandons the ap- 
Vol. XX. No. 1363. 
prehenfion in its progrefs, notwithftanding each member 
of the feries inuft be confidered as given in the intuition; 
it is however not given in the immediate intuition. Here, 
therefore, is no regreflion to the infinite, but only to the 
indefinite. 
To the enquiry concerning the extent of the univerfe, 
there is confequently this negative anfwer : The world has 
no firft beginning with regard to Time, and no extreme 
bounds with regard to Space ; otherwife empty fpace and 
empty time would neceffarily be real objects, whereas 
fpace and time, on the contrary, are only objects in fo 
far as fomething is given in them. We however eafily 
perceive that it is not here faid that the world is infinite, 
but only that fomething has been afferted of the reg-rel- 
lion, namely, that it cannot attain an end; that confe¬ 
quently is what has been negatively faid of the world as 
an objeft, namely, that it has no bounds with regard to 
time and fpace, a pofitive aflertion of the regreflion, 
namely, that it- proceeds to the indefinite. This aflertion 
by no means prefer! bes a determinate empirical regreflion; 
it does not fay, for inftance, that in the feries of progeni¬ 
tors no firft will be found. Therefore, becaufe it aban¬ 
dons in its progrefs the apprehenfion, this progrefs is not 
immediately determined, but mult be determined firft of 
all according to the rules of experience. Only this is 
hereby maintained, that the regreflion to the uncondi¬ 
tioned will find, prior to each condition, another, but 
never an abfolute, boundary ; that beyond every empiri¬ 
cal fpace, and prior to every empirical time, there mu ft 
again bean empirical fpace and an empirical time, fuppo- 
fing even that there had never been an empirical con- 
feioufnefs of thefe, the a'ofence of this would not annul 
their neceffity. 
There is therefore no beginning and no bounds to the 
univerfe itfelf, but all beginning and all bounds are only 
in the world. The objects in the world are therefore only 
limited conditionally, but the world itfelf neither condi¬ 
tionally nor unconditionally. For this very reafon, how¬ 
ever, the collective intuition of the extent of the univerfe 
itfelf is irnpoflible. The regreflion produces only the 
collective intuition of a fphere, which is again limited by 
another fphere; it therefore confifts only in determining, 
and never generates that which is completely determined; 
that is, the Intuition of the whole of the world, either ac¬ 
cording to fpace or to time. 
z. Solution of the Cofmological Idea of the Totality of the 
Divifion of a given Whole in the Intuition. 
The regreflion that leads from the conditioned to the 
condition, in the divifion of the given whole in the intui¬ 
tion, is always accompanied by apprehenfion, for this 
very reafon, becaufe the whole, with all its poflible parts, 
has been given in the intuition. This does not mean 
that the body confifts of infinitely-many parts, fince 
thereby the parts are reprefented as fomething already 
given previous to the decompofing fynthefis ; it means 
only that, however far the divifion may go, the empirical 
confcioufnefs of the parts would (till belong to the fame 
apprehenfion by which the whole is apprehended, (fuppole 
even that its degree fliould be too weak to be itfelf a real 
apprehenfion.) The regreflion here proceeds not only to 
the indefinite, but to the infinite.' But this determination 
concerns only the regreflion, and by no means any thing 
given prior to it. Of the whole given in the intuition, 
inafmuch as its divifion is not yet thought, we can only 
fay in a negative manner, that it does not con fill of fun pie 
parts. But, with regard to the regreflion, this negative 
aflertion is fomething pofitive, the determination, that 
the decompofing fynthefis proceeds to infinity. 
If we reprefent the divifion of a body as independent on 
the regreflion, and all parts as given prior to it, then it is 
neceffary to reprefent it as compofed of Ample parts. For 
as, in a compound fubftance, lomething real and fe!f-ex- 
ifting is given, but the compofition belongs to it only ac¬ 
cidentally, the permanently-given mult remain, if even 
3 M all 
