March 1. 1834
A Reasoner
I am by the law of my nature a reasoner. A person who should suppose I meant by that word, an arguer, [1] would not only not understand me, but would understand the contrary of my meaning. I can take no interest whatever in hearing or saying any thing merely as a fact—merely as having happened. It must refer to something within me before I can regard it with any curiosity or care. My mind is always energic—I don’t mean energetic; I require in every thing what, for lack of another word, I may call propriety,—that is, a reason why the thing is at all, and why it is there or then rather than elsewhere or at another time.
Notes
1
In his essay, “Der einzig mögliche Beweisgrund zu einer Demonstration des
Daseyns Gottes.”—“The only possible argument or ground of proof for a
demonstration of the existence of God.” It was published in 1763; the
“Critique” in 1781.—ED.