Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

Schopenhauer as educatorexample is beyond doubt; the history of India, which is almost thehistory of Indian philosophy, proves it. But this example must besupplied by his outward life and not merely in his books - in the way,that is, in which the philosophers of Greece taught, through theirbearing, what they wore and ate, and their morals, tather than bywhat they said, let alone by what they wrote. How completely thiscourageous visibility of the philosophical life is lacking in Germany!where the body is only just beginning to liberate itself long afterthe spirit seems to have been liberated; and yet it is only an illusionthat a spirit can be free and independent if this achievedunlimitedness - which is at bottom creative self-limitation - is notdemonstrated anew from morn till night through every glanceand every gesture. Kant clung to his university, submitted himselfto its regulations, retained the appearance of religious belief,endured to live among colleagues and students: so it is naturalthat his example has produced above all university professors andprofessorial philosophy. Schopenhauer had little patience withthe scholarly castes, separated himself from them, strove to beindependent of state and society - this is his example, the modelhe provides - to begin with the most superficial things. But manystages in the liberation of the philosophical life are still unknownamong the Germans, though they will not always be able toremain unknown. Our artists are living more boldly and morehonestly; and the mightiest example we have before us, that ofRichard Wagner, shows how the genius must not fear to enter intothe most hostile relationship with the existing forms and order ifhe wants to bring to light the higher order and truth that dwellswithin him. 'Truth', however, of which our professors speak somuch, seems to be a more modest being from which no disorderand nothing extraordinary is to be feared: a self-contented andhappy creature which is continually assuring all the powers thatbe that no one needs to be the least concerned on its account; forit is, after all, only 'pure science'. Thus what I was trying to say isthat the philosopher in Germany has more and more to unlearnhow to be 'pure science': and it is to precisely that end thatSchopenhauer as a human being can serve as an example.It is, however, . nothing less than a miracle that he was able tobecome this human example: for he was pressed upon, from withinand without, by the most tremendous dangers which would havecrushed or shattered any weaker being. It seems to me there was astrong probability that Schopenhauer the human being would137