Introduction [Logic]

ON PHILOSOPHY IN GENERAL

All human cognitions are, according to form, of a twofold kind: (i) historical, which are from things given <ex datis>, taken merely from experience; and (2) rational cognitions, which are from principles <exprincipiis>, taken from certain principles. The rational cognitions are again: (1) philosophical, cognitions from concepts, and (2) mathematical, from the construction of concepts. One can distinguish cognitions according to their objective origin, i.e., according to the sources from which alone a cognition is possible; and according to the subjective origin, i.e., according to the manner in which cognition can be acquired by a human being. With respect to the former, cognitions are either rational or empirical, with respect to the latter, rational or historical; in itself the cognition may have come about however it will. – The system of rational cognition through concepts would thus be philosophy. But first we must consider the cognitions themselves, and then the system of them. – Because mathematics and philosophy agree in that they are rational cognitions, we must first define rational cognitions. The rational cognitions are opposed to the historical ones. The historical ones are derived from things given <ex datis>, and the rational cognitions from principles <ex principiis>, as we have already indicated above. The first, namely, the historical, are cognitions which are possible only insofar as they are given.