Schopenhauer Discussion Thread

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Schopenhauer Discussion Thread Anonymous Sat Oct 16 21:55:10 2021 No.19239589 [Reply] [Original]

In this thread, I would like to discuss some passages from the works of Schopenhauer. Specifically Parerga and Paralipomena volumes one and two

From Verse 92 of Volume Two:

"§92 In different parts of the world, similar or analogous kinds of plants and animals have come into existence under similar or analogous conditions of climate, topography, and atmosphere. Therefore several species are very similar to one another, yet without being identical (and this is the proper concept of the genus), and many are divisible into races and varieties that cannot have originated from one another, although the species remains the same. For unity of the species does not by any means imply unity of origin and descent from a single pair. On the whole this is an absurd assumption. Who will believe that all oaks are descended from a single first oak, all mice from a first pair, or all wolves from the first wolf? On the contrary, in similar circumstances but in different localities, nature repeats the same process and is much too careful to allow the existence of a species, especially of the higher kinds, to be quite precarious, by staking it on a single venture and thereby exposing to a thousand accidents a work that was for her so difficult to achieve.Rather does she know what she wants, wills it decidedly, and accordingly sets to work; but the occasion is never exclusive and unique. Now the African elephant, who has never been tamed, whose ears are very broad and long and cover the back of the neck, and whose female also has tusks, cannot be a descendant of the Asiatic, who is so docile and intelligent, whose female has no tusks, and whose ears are much smaller. Just as little is the American alligator a descendant of the crocodile from the Nile, for the two differ in their teeth and in the number of scales on the back of the neck; just as little also can the Negro be a descendant of the Caucasian race. ... The highest civilization and culture, apart from the ancient Hindus and Egyptians, are found exclusively among the white races; and even with many dark peoples, the ruling caste or race is fairer in colour than the rest and has, therefore, evidently immigrated, for example, the Brahmans, the Incas, and the rulers of the South Sea Islands. All this is due to the fact that necessity is the mother of invention because those tribes that emigrated early to the north, and there gradually became white, had to develop all their intellectual powers and invent and perfect all the arts in their struggle with need, want, and misery, which in their many forms were brought about by the climate. This they had to do in order to make up for the parsimony of nature and out of it all came their high civilization."

Do not take my word for it, here is the source, use the find function in calibre: https://b-ok.cc/book/825459/9c36ed

I would like to hold a discussion concerning his literature. Can somebody explain the meaning behind this?

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