Stratagem 26
Original German
Ein brillianter Streich ist die retorsio argumenti: wenn das Argument, das er für sich gebrauchen will, besser gegen ihn gebraucht werden kann: z. B. er sagt: „es ist ein Kind, man muß ihm was zu gute halten“: retorsio „eben weil es ein Kind ist, muß man es züchtigen, damit es nicht verhärte in seinen bösen Angewohnheiten“.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted, directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
A brilliant stroke is the retorsio argumenti, turning the argument back: the argument he wants to use in his favor can be used better against him. For example, he says: “He is a child; we must make allowances for him.” The retort: “Precisely because he is a child, he must be punished, so that he does not become hardened in his bad habits.”
Plain English translation
Machine-assisted, independently translated directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
A brilliant move is to turn an argument around, retorsio argumenti. The argument the opponent wants to use for their position can work better against it. They say, “He is a child; we must allow him some leeway.” Reply, “It is precisely because he is a child that he must be punished, so he does not become fixed in his bad habits.”
About this section
Stratagem 26 is part of The Art of Being Right by Arthur Schopenhauer. This page sets the German original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 31 of 43 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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