O it is attainable in life and by means of life; for Reason
commands me to live. It is attainable, for I am.
III
But now, when it is attained, when Humanity shall stand at the
goal--what then? There is no higher condition on earth than that.
The generation which first attains it can do nothing further than to
persist in it, maintain it with all their powers, and die and leave
descendants who shall do the same that they have done, and who, in
their turn, shall leave descendants that shall do the same. Humanity
would then stand still in its course. Therefore its earthly goal
cannot be its highest goal, for this earthly goal is intelligible, and
attainable, and finite. Though we consider the preceding generations
as means of developing the last and perfected, still we cannot escape
the inquiry of earnest Reason: "Wherefore then these last?" Given a
human race on the earth, its existence must indeed be in accordance
with Reason, and not contrary to it. It must become all that it can
become on earth. But why should it exist at all--this human race? Why
might it not as well have remained in the womb of the Nothing? Reason
is not for the sake of existence, but existence for the sake of
Reason. An existence which does not, in itself, satisfy Reason and
solve all her questions, cannot possibly be the true one.
Then, too, are the actions commanded by the voice of Conscience, whose
dictates I must not speculate about, but obey in silence--are they
actually the means, and the only means, of accomplishing the earthly
aim of mankind? That I cannot refer them to any other object but this,
that I can have no other intent with them, is unquestionable.
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