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Religion Within the Boundary of Pure Reason, Tr. by J.w. Semple
Religion Within the Boundary of Pure Reason Tr by Jw Semple Author:Immanuel Kant General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1838 Subjects: Philosophy / Religious Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can se... more »lect from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: BOOK I. ON THE RADICAL EVIL OF HUMAN NATURE. EXORDIUM. That The World Lieth In Wickedness, is a complaint as ancient as any Historic record, or even as that still older Volume, the fictions of the Poets -- nay, it is equally old with that oldest of all figments, the fabulous mythical religions of priestcraft. All three concur in giving the world at its outset a good beginning: be it a golden age -- a life in Paradise -- or one still more happy -- communion with Celestials. But this welfare speedily disappears. A lapse into evil immediately hurries mankind from bad to worse with accelerated speed. So that we Now (which now, however, is as old as either history or fable) live in the latter times. The last day and destruction of the world lie even at the door, so much so that Siva, the Destroyer and future Judge of the earth, is already in some parts of Hindustan, worshipped as the Gcd to whom all power in heaven and earth has been delegated; Vishnu having in fatigue thrown up, some centuries ago, the postof governor of the world, which in the beginning he received from the Creator Brahma. ./Etas parentum, pejor avis, tulit Nos nequiores, mox daturos Progeniem vitiosiorem. -- Hohat. A contrary opinion has obtained in modern times. It is, however, far less prevalent, being confined mainly to philosophers and pedagogues, viz. that the world is moving in the opposite direction, being constantly, though imperceptibly, on the advance from bad to better. At least it is contended that the predispositions of human nature are originally so constituted as to tend that way. But...« less