Section 54
Original German
§ 54.
Dies ist nun die Aufstellung und Auflösung der ganzen Antinomie, darin sich die Vernunft bei der Anwendung ihrer Principien auf die Sinnenwelt verwickelt findet, und wovon auch jene (die bloße Aufstellung) sogar allein schon ein beträchtliches Verdienst um die Kenntniß der menschlichen Vernunft sein würde, wenn gleich die Auflösung dieses Widerstreits den Leser, der hier einen natürlichen Schein zu bekämpfen hat, welcher ihm nur neuerlich als ein solcher vorgestellt worden, nachdem er ihn bisher immer für wahr gehalten, hiedurch noch nicht völlig befriedigt haben sollte. Denn eine Folge hievon ist doch unausbleiblich, nämlich daß, weil es ganz unmöglich ist, aus diesem Widerstreit der Vernunft mit sich selbst herauszukommen, so lange man die Gegenstände der Sinnenwelt für Sachen an sich selbst nimmt und nicht für das, was sie in der That sind, nämlich bloße Erscheinungen, der Leser dadurch genöthigt werde, die Deduction aller unsrer Erkenntniß a priori und die Prüfung derjenigen, die ich davon gegeben habe, nochmals vorzunehmen, um darüber zur Entscheidung zu kommen. Mehr verlange ich jetzt nicht; denn wenn er sich bei dieser Beschäftigung nur allererst tief gnug in die Natur der reinen Vernunft hinein gedacht hat, so werden die Begriffe, durch welche die Auflösung des Widerstreits der Vernunft allein möglich ist, ihm schon geläufig sein, ohne welchen Umstand ich selbst von dem aufmerksamsten Leser völligen Beifall nicht erwarten kann.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the complete German of the Prolegomena (AA IV 253–383, all §§1–60 and the Appendix), for fidelity, the steps of Kant’s argument, clarity and structure.
§ 54.
This, then, is the exposition and resolution of the entire antinomy in which reason finds itself entangled when applying its principles to the world of sense. The former—the mere exposition—would even by itself be a considerable contribution to knowledge of human reason, although this resolution of the conflict may not yet have fully satisfied the reader, who here has to combat a natural illusion only recently presented as such, after always having taken it for truth. For one consequence of this is nevertheless inevitable. Since it is entirely impossible to escape this conflict of reason with itself so long as one takes the objects of the world of sense for things in themselves, and not for what they actually are, namely mere appearances, the reader will be compelled to undertake once again the deduction of all our a priori cognition, and the examination of the deduction I have given, in order to reach a decision about it. I ask no more for now. For once the reader, in this occupation, has first thought deeply enough into the nature of pure reason, the concepts through which alone the resolution of reason's conflict is possible will already be familiar; without this, I cannot expect full assent even from the most attentive reader.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same complete German text.
§ 54.
We have now set out and resolved the entire antinomy in which reason becomes entangled when it applies its principles to the world of sense. Even the first task, merely setting it out, would already be a considerable contribution to our knowledge of human reason. This holds even if the resolution of the conflict has not yet fully satisfied the reader. Here the reader must struggle against a natural illusion that has only recently been presented as such, after always having been taken for truth. Still, one consequence is unavoidable. There is absolutely no way out of reason's conflict with itself as long as we take objects of the world of sense for things in themselves, rather than for what they actually are: mere appearances. The reader will therefore be forced to return to the justification of all our a priori cognition and to reexamine the justification I have given, in order to reach a decision. I ask for nothing more at present. For if, in doing this, readers first think deeply enough into the nature of pure reason, they will already be familiar with the concepts through which alone the resolution of reason's conflict is possible. Without this familiarity, I cannot expect full agreement even from the most attentive reader.
About this section
Section 54 is part of Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics by Immanuel Kant. This page sets the German original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 64 of 72 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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