Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- General editor's preface
- Editorial notes and references
- Introduction
- Notes on text and translation
- Chronology
- Bibliography
- PARERGA AND PARALIPOMENA, VOLUME 2
- Contents
- Sporadic yet systematically ordered thoughts on multifarious topics
- Chapter 1 On philosophy and its method
- Chapter 2 On logic and dialectic
- Chapter 3 Some thoughts concerning the intellect in general and in every respect
- Chapter 4 Some observations on the antithesis of the thing in itself and appearance
- Chapter 5 Some words on pantheism
- Chapter 6 On philosophy and natural science
- Chapter 7 On colour theory
- Chapter 8 On ethics
- Chapter 9 On jurisprudence and politics
- Chapter 10 On the doctrine of the indestructibility of our true essence by death
- Chapter 11 Additional remarks on the doctrine of the nothingness of existence
- Chapter 12 Additional remarks on the doctrine of the suffering of the world
- Chapter 13 On suicide
- Chapter 14 Additional remarks on the doctrine of the affirmation and negation of the will to life
- Chapter 15 On religion
- Chapter 16 Some remarks on Sanskrit literature
- Chapter 17 Some archaeological observations
- Chapter 18 Some mythological observations
- Chapter 19 On the metaphysics of the beautiful and aesthetics
- Chapter 20 On judgement, criticism, approbation and fame
- Chapter 21 On learning and the learned
- Chapter 22 Thinking for oneself
- Chapter 23 On writing and style
- Chapter 24 On reading and books
- Chapter 25 On language and words
- Chapter 26 Psychological remarks
- Chapter 27 On women
- Chapter 28 On education
- Chapter 29 On physiognomy
- Chapter 30 On noise and sounds
- Chapter 31 Similes, parables and fables
- Some verses
- Versions of Schopenhauer's text
- Glossary of names
- Index
Chapter 26 - Psychological remarks
from PARERGA AND PARALIPOMENA, VOLUME 2
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2015
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- General editor's preface
- Editorial notes and references
- Introduction
- Notes on text and translation
- Chronology
- Bibliography
- PARERGA AND PARALIPOMENA, VOLUME 2
- Contents
- Sporadic yet systematically ordered thoughts on multifarious topics
- Chapter 1 On philosophy and its method
- Chapter 2 On logic and dialectic
- Chapter 3 Some thoughts concerning the intellect in general and in every respect
- Chapter 4 Some observations on the antithesis of the thing in itself and appearance
- Chapter 5 Some words on pantheism
- Chapter 6 On philosophy and natural science
- Chapter 7 On colour theory
- Chapter 8 On ethics
- Chapter 9 On jurisprudence and politics
- Chapter 10 On the doctrine of the indestructibility of our true essence by death
- Chapter 11 Additional remarks on the doctrine of the nothingness of existence
- Chapter 12 Additional remarks on the doctrine of the suffering of the world
- Chapter 13 On suicide
- Chapter 14 Additional remarks on the doctrine of the affirmation and negation of the will to life
- Chapter 15 On religion
- Chapter 16 Some remarks on Sanskrit literature
- Chapter 17 Some archaeological observations
- Chapter 18 Some mythological observations
- Chapter 19 On the metaphysics of the beautiful and aesthetics
- Chapter 20 On judgement, criticism, approbation and fame
- Chapter 21 On learning and the learned
- Chapter 22 Thinking for oneself
- Chapter 23 On writing and style
- Chapter 24 On reading and books
- Chapter 25 On language and words
- Chapter 26 Psychological remarks
- Chapter 27 On women
- Chapter 28 On education
- Chapter 29 On physiognomy
- Chapter 30 On noise and sounds
- Chapter 31 Similes, parables and fables
- Some verses
- Versions of Schopenhauer's text
- Glossary of names
- Index
Summary
§304
Every animal being, especially the human, requires a certain suitability and proportion between his will and his intellect in order to exist and get on in the world. The more precisely and properly nature has achieved these, the more easily, certainly and pleasantly he will go through the world. Meanwhile a mere approximation to the actual correct point suffices to protect him from ruin. Accordingly there is a certain latitude within the borders of the correctness and suitability of said relationship. Now the norm that applies to this is as follows. Since the determination of the intellect is to be the beacon and guide of the will's steps, then the more vehement, impetuous and passionate the inner stress of a will, the more perfect and bright must be the intellect assigned to it, so that the vehemence of willing and striving, the smoulder of the passions and the impetuosity of the affects do not lead the human being astray, or sweep him towards thoughtless, wrong and ruinous activity, all of which will inevitably be the case given a very vehement will and very weak intellect. On the other hand a phlegmatic character, and thus a weak, dull will, can even manage and get by with a negligible intellect, while a moderate will requires a moderate intellect. Generally any misalignment between a will and its intellect, i.e., any deviation from the proportion resulting from the above norm, tends to make someone unhappy, and this regardless of which side is misaligned. That is, even the abnormally strong and overwhelming development of the intellect and the disproportionate preponderance over the will that stems from it, as that which constitutes what is essential in the real genius, are not only superfluous for the needs and purposes of life, but outright harmful to them. For then in youth the excessive energy of apprehending the objective world, accompanied by lively imagination and lacking all experience, renders the mind susceptible to and easily fills it with extravagant concepts and even chimeras, which produces an eccentric and indeed fantastical character.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Schopenhauer: Parerga and ParalipomenaShort Philosophical Essays, pp. 520 - 549Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2015