Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), a native of Danzig (then Prussia, now Gdansk in Poland), a world-famous philosopher and doctor of sciences (1813), carried through his whole life an internal conflict between prudence and philosophy. For many years he tried to gain public recognition, but all efforts were in vain - the first 2 volumes of essays almost completely went into waste paper.
Once he realizes that the time has not yet come to understand his philosophy. Then A. Schopenhauer will choose for himself the path of a bachelor and practically a recluse in Frankfurt am Main (German Union, now Germany). Favorable times for Schopenhauer's philosophy came in the post-revolutionary 50s of the 18th century. He had followers and students, and according to his philosophical system, lectures began to be given at the university. And today quotes about the life path set forth in his “Aphorisms of Worldly Wisdom” allow everyone to find something new and useful for themselves.
The fate of man
Referring to ancient wisdom, A. Schopenhauer quotes about the path, the essence of which is that our life path can be likened to the path of a ship. Fate, like the wind, can move a person forward, if it is favorable to him, or cast back, if unfriendly. Man's efforts can play the role of oars, which are not needed in strong winds.
Thanks to great efforts, a person can advance a little with the help of oars, but he is not immune from the fact that a new unfavorable gust of wind will not throw him even further. A. Schopenhauer, noting the power of a happy fate, recalls the Spanish proverb that you can safely throw your son into the sea if you have previously begged for happiness for him.
Happening
A person’s life depends on the event that fate presents him. He can both bless and destroy, he is able to be gracious and angry. Carrying out the reflection of his life's journey, a person notes many happy moments that were missed, and many misfortunes that were called out to him. Human life depends on two factors: random events and our actions. Like the movement of a ship toward a given target, at a great distance, a person cannot precisely follow the course toward it, but with the help of decisions only get closer to it. According to A. Schopenhauer, two forces - external events and our decisions are not always coordinated and have one direction, but their unification is our way of life.
As a quote about the path, A. Schopenhauer cites the statement of Terence, which compares human life with the game of dice. If there is no desired bone, use the one that falls out. Comparing life with a game of chess, the philosopher says that the realization of a game plan that a person creates depends on the moves of the opponent, whose role in life is played by fate. And often the plan is radically changed.
Assessment of the traveled distance
As a traveler creates a complete picture of the campaign only at the end of the route, so a person, by the end of his life, having reached the top, can objectively evaluate his actions and what he will leave to his descendants, say Schopenhauer quotes. About the path, the author notes that while a person is moving, he acts under the influence of the moment. Only the result can show whether our actions were right. Therefore, the creator, making great discoveries or creating immortal masterpieces, does not realize their significance, but simply does what meets his current goals.
Assessing the life path of a person, A. Schopenhauer gives a comparison with an embroidered canvas. A person sees the front side in youth, and the inside out in old age. The eversion is not so good, but it can be used to investigate the interweaving of all road threads. The beginning of life is a text, and its end is comments, which make it possible to understand the general sense and details.
Individuality
Schopenhauer quotes about the path of man sound like instructions for a happy life. The life path depends on how a person imagines the world. For some, it is rich and full of meaning; for others, it is poor, empty and vulgar. Everything that a person perceives and what happens to him, happens directly in his head. A person’s life is determined by his inner world, say Schopenhauer quotes. About the road, the path that a person chooses, the philosopher notes that it also depends on individual internal perception.
Human nature is able to correct the influence of external conditions and prevent disasters with its courage, mind and happy breed. The path to a happy life is optimism, the health of the body and spirit.