In fact, even if we did not know that the principle of morality is a pure a priori law determining the will, yet, that we may not assume principles quite gratuitously, we must, at least at first, leave it undecided, whether the will has merely empirical principles of determination, or whether it has not also pure a priori principles; for it is contrary to all rules of philosophical method to assume as decided that which is the very point in question.
Izan ere, jakingo ez bagenu etikotasunaren printzipioa legea a priori determinatzen duen lege hutsa dela, hala ere oinarrizko esakuneak alferrik (doan) ez onartzekotan, hasiera batean gutxienez erabaki gabe utzi beharko genuke ea nahimenak enpirikoak baino ez diren edo hutsak diren determinazio-oinarriak ote dituen a priori; izan ere, prozedura filosofikoaren oinarrizko erregela guztien aurka doa erabaki behar den hori aurretik erabakitzat hartzea.