My Montblanc 149 The Origin in Curridabat (1) ©FP.jpg

Shoepenhaur's quote -- Imagine what we could accomplish prior to old age settling in if we humans were to use all help available to achieve the goal of learning to live, and how to live in peace and harmony with others. (My, I'm waxing philosophical around my birthday. lol) Life is complicated! I think we might do really well at living, especially with others, if we used all help we can get all the time! There's no weakness in using a stick for balance and support or picking up a pen to communicate. I'm not sure I agree with the phrase, "perfect thinking without pen." Not to quibble words, but there is nothing "perfect" in the literal sense with, about or near humans -- by our very nature of imperfect being. And no real thinking occurs without energy output. He had his musical pursuits to use energy around his experiences. That was his "pen and ink," I believe. We've got ours! To each their own!

On 10/4/2024 at 9:49 AM, jordierocks94 said:

Shoepenhaur's quote -- Imagine what we could accomplish prior to old age settling in if we humans were to use all help available to achieve the goal of learning to live, and how to live in peace and harmony with others. (My, I'm waxing philosophical around my birthday. lol) Life is complicated! I think we might do really well at living, especially with others, if we used all help we can get all the time! There's no weakness in using a stick for balance and support or picking up a pen to communicate. I'm not sure I agree with the phrase, "perfect thinking without pen." Not to quibble words, but there is nothing "perfect" in the literal sense with, about or near humans -- by our very nature of imperfect being. And no real thinking occurs without energy output. He had his musical pursuits to use energy around his experiences. That was his "pen and ink," I believe. We've got ours! To each their own!

As Schopenhauer said himself, second hand information is prone to be shallow and error prone. It was not § 296 or 246. It also has to be seen in context. His real beef was with people who write without thinking, write  to impress or for a quick buck. He admits it is harder to think without writing as you get older. 

Thank you so much for your observations and for the original text in German.

 

Curiously, in my critic edition of the Parerga (in Italian) cured by the great Germanist Giorgio Colli, and translated by Colli himself, Mazzino Montinari and Eva Amendola Kühn, the aphorism is indicated as § 276 of the second volume.