Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics
                             (1783)
                                
                          Immanuel Kant
                                

Copyright 1997, James Fieser (jfieser@utm.edu). See endnote for
details on copyright and editing. The following is based on Paul
Carus's 1902 translation of the Prolegomena. Spelling has been
Americanized. A few of Lewis White Beck's conventions have been
adopted from his revision of Carus's translation, such as
replacing the word "cognise" with "knowledge."1

                            Contents:
                                
     Introduction.
     Preamble On The Peculiarities Of All Metaphysical Cognition.
     First Part Of The Transcendental Problem: How Is Pure
          Mathematics Possible?
     Second Part Of The Transcendental Problem: How Is The
          Science Of Nature Possible?
     Third Part Of The Main Transcendental Problem: How Is
          Metaphysics In General Possible?
     Conclusion: On The Determination Of The Bounds Of Pure
          Reason.
     Solution Of The General Question Of The Prolegomena:  "How
          Is Metaphysics Possible As A Science?"
     Appendix: On What Can Be Done To Make Metaphysics Actual As
          A Science.

                             * * * *
                                
                          INTRODUCTION.

     These Prolegomena are destined for the use, not of pupils,
but of future teachers, and even the latter should not expect
that they will be serviceable for the systematic exposition of a
ready-made science, but merely for the discovery of the science
itself.

     There are scholarly men, to whom the history of philosophy
(both ancient and modern) is philosophy itself; for these the
present Prolegomena are not written. They must wait till those
who endeavor to draw from the fountain of reason itself have
completed their work; it will then be the historian's turn to
inform the world of what has been done. Unfortunately, nothing
can be said, which in their opinion has not been said before, and
truly the same prophecy applies to all future time; for since the
human reason has for many centuries speculated upon innumerable
objects in various ways, it is hardly to be expected that we
should not be able to discover analogies for every new idea among
the old sayings of past ages.

     My object is to persuade all those who think Metaphysics
worth studying, that it is absolutely necessary to pause a
moment, and, neglecting all that has been done, to propose first
the preliminary question, 'Whether such a thing as metaphysics be
at all possible?'

     If it be a science, how comes it that it cannot, like other
sciences, obtain universal and permanent recognition ? If not,
how can it maintain its pretensions, and keep the human mind in
suspense with hopes, never ceasing, yet never fulfilled? Whether
then we demonstrate our knowledge or our ignorance in this field,
we must come once for all to a definite conclusion respecting the
nature of this so-called science, which cannot possibly remain on
its present footing. It seems almost ridiculous, while every
other science is continually advancing, that in this, which
pretends to be Wisdom incarnate, for whose oracle every one
inquires, we should constantly move round the same spot, without
gaining a single step. And so its followers having melted away,
we do not find men confident of their ability to shine in other
sciences venturing their reputation here, where everybody,
however ignorant in other matters, may deliver a final verdict,
as in this domain there is as yet no standard weight and measure
to distinguish sound knowledge from shallow talk.

     After all it is nothing extraordinary in the elaboration of
a science, when men begin to wonder how far it has advanced, that
the question should at last occur, whether and how such a science
is possible? Human reason so delights in constructions, that it
has several times built up a tower, and then razed it to examine
the nature of the foundation. It is never too late to become
wise; but if the change comes late, there is always more
difficulty in starting a reform.

     The question whether a science be possible, presupposes a
doubt as to its actuality. But such a doubt offends the men whose
whole possessions consist of this supposed jewel; hence he who
raises the doubt must expect opposition from all sides. Some, in
the proud consciousness of their possessions, which are ancient,
and therefore considered legitimate, will take their metaphysical
compendia in their hands, and look down on him with contempt;
others, who never see anything except it be identical with what
they have seen before, will not understand him, and everything
will remain for a time, as if nothing had happened to excite the
concern, or the hope, for an impending change.

     Nevertheless, I venture to predict that the independent
reader of these Prolegomena will not only doubt his previous