Stratagem 4
Original German
Wenn man einen Schluß machen will, so lasse man denselben nicht vorhersehn, sondern lasse sich unvermerkt die Prämissen einzeln und zerstreut im Gespräch zugeben, sonst wird der Gegner allerhand Schikanen versuchen; oder wenn zweifelhaft ist, daß der Gegner sie zugebe, so stelle man die Prämissen dieser Prämissen auf; mache Prosyllogismen; lasse sich die Prämissen mehrerer solcher Prosyllogismen ohne Ordnung durcheinander zugeben, also verdecke sein Spiel, bis alles zugestanden ist, was man braucht. Führe also die Sache von Weitem herbei. Diese Regeln giebt Arist. Topic. Lib. VIII, c. 1. [1]
Bedarf keines Exempels.
1 [Dazu die Notiz:] (Siehe Adversaria p 269) [in unsr. Ausg. Bd. VII u. VIII].
Musean translation
Machine-assisted, directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
When one wishes to draw an inference, do not let it be foreseen. Instead, obtain unnoticed concessions of the premises, separately and scattered through the conversation; otherwise the opponent will attempt all manner of obstruction. Or, if it is doubtful whether he will concede them, advance the premises of these premises: construct preliminary syllogisms, obtain concessions of the premises of several such syllogisms in a disordered mixture, and thus conceal your game until everything needed has been conceded. Bring the matter about from a distance. Aristotle gives these rules. Arist. Topic. Lib. VIII, c. 1.1
No example is needed.
1 [Accompanying note:] See Adversaria p 269 [in our edition, volumes VII and VIII].
Plain English translation
Machine-assisted, independently translated directly from Deussen’s German edition (1923).
When you want to draw a conclusion, do not let the opponent see it coming. Get them to accept the premises without noticing, one at a time and scattered through the conversation. Otherwise they will try all kinds of obstruction. If you doubt that they will accept the premises, put forward the premises supporting those premises. Construct preliminary arguments. Mix up the order of the premises belonging to several such arguments and get them accepted. Hide your game until everything you need has been accepted. Approach the issue indirectly, from a long way off. These rules appear in Arist. Topic. Lib. VIII, c. 1.1
This needs no example.
1 [Added note:] See Adversaria p 269 [in our edition, volumes VII and VIII].
About this section
Stratagem 4 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 9 of 43 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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