(?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)
Arthur Schopenhauer

“In order to elucidate especially and most clearly the origination of this error (...) let us imagine a man who, while standing on the street, would say to himself:

"It is six o'clock in the evening, the working day is over. Now I can go for a walk, or I can go to the club; I can also climb up the tower to see the sunset; I can go to the theater; I can visit this friend or that one; indeed, I also can run out of the gate, into the wide world, and never return. All of this is strictly up to me, in this I have complete freedom. But still I shall do none of these things now , but with just as free a will I shall go home to my wife".

This is exactly as if water spoke to itself: "I can make high waves (yes! in the sea during a storm), I can rush down hill (yes! in the river bed), I can plunge down foaming and gushing (yes! in the waterfall), I can rise freely as a stream of water into the air (yes! in the fountain), I can, finally boil away and disappear (yes! at a certain temperature); but I am doing none of these things now, and am voluntaringly remaining quiet and clear water in the reflecting pond.”

Arthur Schopenhauer, Essay on the Freedom of the Will
Read more quotes from Arthur Schopenhauer


Share this quote:
Share on Twitter

Friends Who Liked This Quote

To see what your friends thought of this quote, please sign up!

40 likes
All Members Who Liked This Quote



This Quote Is From

Essay on the Freedom of the Will Essay on the Freedom of the Will by Arthur Schopenhauer
891 ratings, average rating, 65 reviews
Open Preview

Browse By Tag