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The largest library in disorder is not so useful as a smaller but orderly one; in the same way the greatest amount of knowledge, if it has not been worked out in one's own mind, is of less value than a much smaller amount that has been fully considered. For it is only when a man combines what he knows from all sides, and compares one truth with
... See moreArthur Schopenhauer • The Collected Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics)
That human life must be a kind of mistake is sufficiently clear from the fact that man is a compound of needs, which are difficult to satisfy; moreover, if they are satisfied, all he is granted is a state of painlessness, in which he can only give himself up to boredom. This is a precise proof that existence in itself has no value, since boredom is
... See moreArthur Schopenhauer • Works of Arthur Schopenhauer
One can never read too little of bad, or too much of good books: bad books are intellectual poison; they destroy the mind.
Arthur Schopenhauer • Works of Arthur Schopenhauer
C’était beaucoup plus que cela. Schopenhauer m’a appris que nous sommes condamnés à tourner éternellement sur la roue de la volonté : on désire quelque chose, on l’obtient, on en éprouve une brève satisfaction, puis on s’en lasse très vite, enfin on en revient inéluctablement au prochain “Je veux quelque chose.” On ne peut pas s’en tirer par le
... See moreIrvin Yalom • La Méthode Schopenhauer (Littérature) (French Edition)
True brevity of expression consists in a man only saying what is worth saying, while avoiding all diffuse explanations of things which every one can think out for himself; that is, it consists in his correctly distinguishing between what is necessary and what is superfluous. On the other hand, one should never sacrifice clearness, to say nothing of
... See moreArthur Schopenhauer • Works of Arthur Schopenhauer
The largest library in disorder is not so useful as a smaller but orderly one; in the same way the greatest amount of knowledge, if it has not been worked out in one's own mind, is of less value than a much smaller amount that has been fully considered. For it is only when a man combines what he knows from all sides, and compares one truth with
... See moreArthur Schopenhauer • Works of Arthur Schopenhauer
Men of learning are those who have read the contents of books. Thinkers, geniuses, and those who have enlightened the world and furthered the race of men, are those who have made direct use of the book of the world.
Arthur Schopenhauer • Works of Arthur Schopenhauer
And yet nothing is easier than to write so that no one can understand; on the other hand, nothing is more difficult than to express learned ideas so that every one must understand them.