Stratagem 37
Original German
(der einer der ersten seyn sollte). Wenn der Gegner auch in der Sache Recht hat, allein glücklicherweise für selbige einen schlechten Beweis wählt; so gelingt es uns leicht diesen Beweis zu widerlegen, und nun geben wir dies für eine Widerlegung der Sache aus. Im Grunde läuft dies darauf zurück, daß wir ein argumentum ad hominem für ein[e]s ad rem ausgeben. Fällt ihm oder den Umstehenden kein richtigerer Beweis bei; so haben wir gesiegt. — Z. B. wenn Einer für das Daseyn Gottes den ontologischen Beweis aufstell[t], der sehr wohl widerlegbar ist. Dies ist der Weg auf welchem schlechte Advokaten eine gute Sache verlieren: [sie] wollen sie durch ein Gesetz rechtfertigen, das darauf nicht paßt, und das passende fällt ihnen nicht ein.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted, directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
(This ought to be one of the first.) Even when the opponent is right about the matter, if he fortunately chooses a bad proof of it, we can easily refute that proof and then pass this off as a refutation of the matter itself. Fundamentally this comes down to passing off an argument ad hominem as one ad rem. If neither he nor the bystanders can think of a better proof, we have won. For example, someone advances the ontological proof of God's existence, which can very well be refuted. This is how bad advocates lose a good case: they seek to justify it through a law that does not fit, and the appropriate one does not occur to them.
Plain English translation
Machine-assisted, independently translated directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
(This should be among the first tricks.) The opponent may be right about the matter but luckily choose a poor proof. We can easily refute that proof and pretend this refutes the matter itself. We are really treating an argument against the opponent's proof as an argument against the actual claim. If neither the opponent nor the people present can think of a better proof, we win. For example, someone might give the ontological proof that God exists, which can certainly be refuted. This is how bad lawyers lose a good case. They try to justify it with a law that does not apply and cannot think of the law that does.
About this section
Stratagem 37 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 42 of 43 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
Open the work page for the full contents, every edition, and the download links, or go back to Explore to browse other complete works in the European tradition. The reader keeps your place when you are signed in and lets you compare the original with each translation, one edition at a time.