This opposition therefore must not be viewed as putting in a good word for that loquacious shallowness under the presumed name of popularity, or even of skepticism, which gives short shrift to all metaphysics; rather, criticism is the preparatory activity necessary for the advancement of metaphysics as a well grounded science, which must necessarily be dogmatic, carried out systematically in accordance with the strictest re quirement, hence according to scholastic rigor (and not in a popular way); for this requirement is one that it may not neglect, since it undertakes to carry out its business wholly a priori and thus to the full sat isfaction of speculative reason.