But still, a priori, he could not know even this much. Thus, if a man undermined his house, we say, " he might know a priori that it would have fallen " that is, he needed not to have waited for the experience that it did actually fall. For, in speaking of knowledge which has its sources in experience, we are wont to say, that this or that may be known a priori, because we do not derive this knowledge immediately from experience, but from a general rule, which, however, we have itself borrowed from experience. But the expression, " a priori, " is not as yet definite enough adequately to indicate the whole meaning of the question above started. It is, therefore, a question which requires close investigation, and not to be answered at first sight, whether there exists a knowledge altogether independent of experience, and even of all sensuous impressions? Knowledge of this kind is called a priori, in contradistinction to empirical knowledge, which has its sources a posteriori, that is, in experience. For, on the contrary, it is quite possible that our empirical knowledge is a compound of that which we receive through impressions, and that which the faculty of cognition supplies from itself (sensuous impressions giving merely the occasion), an addition which we cannot distinguish from the original element given by sense, till long practice has made us attentive to, and skilful in separating it. But, though all our knowledge begins with experience, it by no means follows that all arises out of experience. For how is it possible that the faculty of cognition should be awakened into exercise otherwise than by means of objects which affect our senses, and partly of themselves produce representations, partly rouse our powers of understanding into activity, to compare to connect, or to separate these, and so to convert the raw material of our sensuous impressions into a knowledge of objects, which is called experience? In respect of time, therefore, no knowledge of ours is antecedent to experience, but begins with it. That all our knowledge begins with experience there can be no doubt. The text of the following pages are not copyrighted within the United This page and any preceding page(s) are restricted by copyright. Jim Manis is a faculty member of the English Department of The Pennsylvania State University. Meiklejohn, The Electronic Classics Series, Jim Manis, Editor, PSU-Hazleton, Hazleton, PA 18202 is a Portable Document File produced as part of an ongoing publication project to bring classical works of literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to make use of them. The Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant, trans. Neither the Pennsyl- vania State University nor Jim Manis, Editor, nor any- one associated with the Pennsylvania State University assumes any responsibility for the material contained within the document or for the file as an electronic transmission, in any way. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. This Portable Document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Meiklejohn is a publication of The Electronic Classics Series.
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