Introduction
Original German
Le bonheur n'est pas chose aisée: il est très difficile de le trouver en nous, et impossible de le trouver ailleurs.Chamfort.
Ich nehme den Begriff der Lebensweisheit hier gänzlich im immanenten Sinne, nämlich in dem der Kunst, das Leben möglichst angenehm und glücklich durchzuführen, die Anleitung zu welcher auch Eudämonologie genannt werden könnte: sie wäre demnach die Anweisung zu einem glücklichen Dasein. Dieses nun wieder ließe sich allenfalls definieren als ein solches, welches, rein objektiv betrachtet, oder vielmehr (da es hier auf ein subjektives Urteil ankommt) bei kalter und reiflicher Überlegung, dem Nichtsein entschieden vorzuziehn wäre. Aus diesem Begriffe desselben folgt, daß wir daran hingen, seiner selbst wegen, nicht aber bloß aus Furcht vor dem Tode; und hieraus wieder, daß wir es von endloser Dauer sehn möchten. Ob nun das menschliche Leben dem Begriff eines solchen Daseins entspreche, oder auch nur entsprechen könne, ist eine Frage, welche bekanntlich meine Philosophie verneint; während die Eudämonologie die Bejahung derselben voraussetzt. Diese nämlich beruht eben auf dem angeborenen Irrtum, dessen Rüge das 49. Kapitel im 2. Bande meines Hauptwerks eröffnet. Um eine solche dennoch ausarbeiten zu können, habe ich daher gänzlich abgehn müssen von dem höheren, metaphysisch-ethischen Standpunkte, zu welchem meine eigentliche Philosophie hinleitet. Folglich beruht die ganze hier zu gebende Auseinandersetzung gewissermaßen auf einer Akkommodation, sofern sie nämlich auf dem gewöhnlichen, empirischen Standpunkte bleibt und dessen Irrtum festhält. Demnach kann auch ihr Wert nur ein bedingter sein, da selbst das Wort Eudämonologie nur ein Euphemismus ist. – Ferner macht auch dieselbe keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit; teils weil das Thema unerschöpflich ist; teils weil ich sonst das von andern bereits Gesagte hätte wiederholen müssen.
Als in ähnlicher Absicht, wie gegenwärtige Aphorismen, abgefaßt, ist mir nur das sehr lesenswerte Buch des Cardanus de utilitate ex adversis capienda erinnerlich, durch welches man also das hier Gegebene vervollständigen kann. Zwar hat auch Aristoteles dem 5. Kapitel des 1. Buches seiner Rhetorik eine kurze Eudämonologie eingeflochten: sie ist jedoch sehr nüchtern ausgefallen. Benutzt habe ich diese Vorgänger nicht; da Kompiliren nicht meine Sache ist; und um so weniger, als durch dasselbe die Einheit der Ansicht verloren geht, welche die Seele der Werke dieser Art ist. – Im allgemeinen haben freilich die Weisen aller Zeiten immer dasselbe gesagt, und die Toren, d. h. die unermeßliche Majorität aller Zeiten, haben immer dasselbe, nämlich das Gegenteil getan: und so wird es denn auch ferner bleiben. Darum sagt Voltaire: nous laisserons ce monde-ci aussi sot et aussi méchant que nous l'avons trouvé en y arrivant.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted translation from the German, following the 1913 Ernst Ohle edition.
Happiness is no easy thing: it is very difficult to find within ourselves, and impossible to find elsewhere.Chamfort.
I use the idea of wisdom in life here in an entirely immanent sense: the art of conducting life as pleasantly and happily as possible. Instruction in this art might also be called eudemonology: a guide, then, to a happy existence. Such an existence might in turn be defined as one decidedly preferable to nonexistence when considered purely objectively—or rather, since the judgment here is subjective, after cool and mature reflection. This conception implies that we would cling to it for its own sake, not merely from fear of death; and from this it follows that we would wish it to last forever. Whether human life answers, or can even answer, to the conception of such an existence is a question that my philosophy, as everyone knows, answers in the negative; eudemonology, however, presupposes an affirmative answer. It rests, in fact, on the inborn error whose exposure opens chapter 49 in the second volume of my principal work. To develop such a guide nonetheless, I have therefore had to depart entirely from the higher, metaphysical and ethical standpoint toward which my philosophy properly leads. The whole exposition offered here consequently rests, in a certain sense, on an accommodation: it remains at the ordinary, empirical standpoint and retains its error. Its value, accordingly, can only be conditional, since even the word eudemonology is merely a euphemism.—Nor does this exposition make any claim to completeness: partly because the subject is inexhaustible, and partly because otherwise I would have had to repeat what others have already said.
The only book I recall written with an intention similar to these aphorisms is the eminently readable work by Cardanus, On Drawing Benefit from Adversity, which may therefore supplement what is offered here. Aristotle, too, did weave a brief eudemonology into chapter 5 of the first book of his Rhetoric, but it turned out rather prosaic. I have made no use of these predecessors, since compilation is not my business; all the less so because it destroys the unity of outlook that is the soul of works of this kind.—In general, of course, the wise of every age have always said the same things, while the fools—that is, the immeasurable majority in every age—have always done the same thing, namely the opposite; and so it will remain. Hence Voltaire says: We shall leave this world as foolish and as wicked as we found it when we arrived.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted translation from the German, following the 1913 Ernst Ohle edition.
Happiness is not easy to come by: it is very hard to find within ourselves, and impossible to find anywhere else.Chamfort.
Here I use the term wisdom in living entirely in a this-worldly sense. I mean the art of getting through life as pleasantly and happily as possible. A guide to this art could also be called eudemonology: an instruction in how to lead a happy life. Such a life might in turn be defined as one that, viewed purely objectively—or rather, since this calls for a subjective judgment, after calm and careful thought—would be decidedly preferable to not existing. This definition implies that we would cling to it for its own sake, not just from fear of death. And this in turn implies that we would want it to last forever. Whether human life meets the definition of such an existence, or can even possibly meet it, is a question that my philosophy, as is well known, answers in the negative. Eudemonology, on the other hand, assumes an affirmative answer. It rests precisely on the inborn error whose criticism opens chapter 49 in volume 2 of my main work. To work out such a guide nonetheless, I have therefore had to abandon entirely the higher, metaphysical and ethical standpoint to which my actual philosophy leads. Consequently, the whole discussion I am about to offer rests, in a sense, on an accommodation: it stays with the ordinary, empirical standpoint and retains its error. Its value can therefore only be conditional, since even the word eudemonology is merely a euphemism.—Nor does it claim to be complete. The subject is inexhaustible, and otherwise I would also have had to repeat what others have already said.
The only book I recall being written with an aim like that of these aphorisms is the very worthwhile book by Cardanus, On Drawing Benefit from Adversity. It can therefore supplement what is given here. Aristotle too included a short account of happiness in chapter 5 of book 1 of his Rhetoric, but it turned out very dry. I have not drawn on these predecessors. Compiling is not my business, all the more so because it destroys the unity of outlook that gives works of this kind their life.—In general, of course, the wise in every age have always said the same thing. And fools—that is, the immeasurably large majority in every age—have always done the same thing, namely the opposite. That is how it will continue. So Voltaire says: We will leave this world just as foolish and just as wicked as we found it when we arrived.
About this section
Introduction is part of Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life 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 chapter 1 of 7 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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