Stratagem 28
Original German
Dieser ist hauptsächlich anwendbar, wenn Gelehrte vor ungelehrten Zuhörern streiten. Wenn man kein argumentum ad rem hat und auch nicht einmal eines ad hominem, so macht man eines ad auditores, d. h. einen ungültigen Einwurf, dessen Ungültigkeit aber nur der Sachkundige einsieht: ein solcher ist der Gegner, aber die Hörer nicht: er wird also in ihren Augen geschlagen, zumal wenn der Einwurf seine Behauptung irgendwie in ein lächerliches Licht stellt: zum Lachen sind die Leute gleich bereit: und man hat die Lacher auf seiner Seite. Die Nichtigkeit des Einwurfs zu zeigen, müßte der Gegner eine lange Auseinandersetzung machen und auf die Principien der Wissenschaft oder sonstig[e] Angelegenh[eit] zurückgehn: dazu findet er nicht leicht Gehör.
Exempel. Der Gegner sagt: bei der Bildung des Urgebirgs, war die Masse aus welcher der Granit und alles übrige Urgebirg krystallisirt[e] flüssig durch Wärme, also geschmolzen: die Wärme mußte etwa 200° R seyn: die Masse krystallisirt[e] unter der sie bedeckenden Meeresfläche. — Wir machen das argumentum ad auditores, daß bei jener Temperatur, ja schon lange vorher bei 80°, das Meer längst verkocht wäre und in der Luft schwebt[e] als Dunst. — Die Zuhörer lachen. Um uns zu schlagen, hätte er zu zeigen, daß der Siedepunkt nicht allein von dem Wärmegrad, sondern eben so sehr vom Druck der Atmosphäre abhängt: und dieser, sobald etw[a] das halbe Meereswasser in Dunstgestalt schwebt, sosehr erhöht ist, daß auch bei 200° R noch kein Kochen statt findet. — Aber dazu kommt er nicht, da es bei Nichtphysikern einer Abhandlung bedarf. —
(Mitscherlich, Abhdlg. d. Berl. Akad. 1822.)
Musean translation
Machine-assisted, directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
This is chiefly applicable when learned people dispute before an unlearned audience. If one has no argument ad rem, nor even one ad hominem, one makes an argument ad auditores, to the listeners: an invalid objection whose invalidity only an expert can see. The opponent is such an expert, but the listeners are not; in their eyes he is therefore defeated, especially if the objection casts his assertion in a ridiculous light. People are always ready to laugh, and one has the laughers on one's side. To show the objection's worthlessness, the opponent would have to give a long explanation and return to the principles of the science or other subject concerned. He will not readily find a hearing for this.
Example. The opponent says: when primitive rock was formed, the substance from which granite and all other primitive rock crystallized was fluid through heat, and therefore molten. Its temperature must have been about 200° R; the substance crystallized beneath the sea that covered it. We make the argument to the listeners that at that temperature—indeed, long before it, at 80°—the sea would long since have boiled away and be suspended in the air as vapor. The listeners laugh. To defeat us, he would have to show that boiling point depends not only upon temperature but just as much upon atmospheric pressure; and that, as soon as perhaps half the seawater is suspended as vapor, this pressure is so greatly increased that even at 200° R no boiling occurs. But he never gets that far, since among nonphysicists it requires a treatise.
(Mitscherlich, Abhdlg. d. Berl. Akad. 1822.)
Plain English translation
Machine-assisted, independently translated directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
This is mainly useful when knowledgeable people argue in front of listeners who lack their knowledge. If you have no argument about the issue, not even one based on the opponent's own position, make one aimed at the audience. Give an invalid objection that only an expert can recognize as invalid. The opponent is an expert, but the listeners are not. To them, the opponent appears beaten, especially if the objection makes the claim look ridiculous. People are quick to laugh, and you have the people laughing on your side. To show that the objection is worthless, the opponent would need a long explanation going back to the principles of the science or other subject. It is hard to get people to listen to that.
Example. The opponent says that when the oldest rocks formed, the material from which granite and the other oldest rocks crystallized was liquid because of heat: it was molten. Its temperature must have been about 200° R. The material crystallized under the sea covering it. We appeal to the audience by saying that at that temperature, or even much earlier at 80°, the sea would already have boiled away and be floating in the air as vapor. The audience laughs. To beat us, the opponent would have to explain that the boiling point depends just as much on atmospheric pressure as on temperature. Once perhaps half the seawater is suspended as vapor, that pressure becomes so high that water does not boil even at 200° R. But the opponent never gets to explain this, since people without knowledge of physics would need a lengthy account.
(Mitscherlich, Abhdlg. d. Berl. Akad. 1822.)
About this section
Stratagem 28 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 33 of 43 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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