A Theory of Knowledge
GA 2
XX. Optimism and Pessimism
[ 1 ] We have seen that man is the central point of the world-order. As spirit, he attains to the highest form of existence, and in thought he achieves the most highly perfected world process. Things really are only as they are illuminated by him. This is a point of view according to which man possesses within himself the basis, the goal, and the central essence of his own existence. It makes man a self-sufficing being. He must find within himself the support for everything that pertains to him—even, therefore, for his happiness. If this is to come to him, he must owe it to himself alone. Any Power that bestows it upon him from without condemns him thereby to bondage. Nothing can bestow satisfaction upon a human being except that to which he himself has first given this capacity. If anything is to constitute a happiness for us, we ourselves must first provide the power through which this can occur. Pleasure and displeasure are present for a human being, in the higher sense, only in so far as he himself experiences these as such. Hence all optimism and all pessimism fall to the ground. The former assumes that the world is of such a character that everything in it is good, that it leads man to the highest happiness. But, if this is to be true, he himself must first win from the objects in the world something for which he longs: that is, he cannot be happy by means of the world, but only through himself.
[ 2 ] Pessimism, on the other hand, thinks the ordering of the world is such that it leaves man forever unhappy, that he can never be happy. The objection mentioned above naturally applies also here. The external world is, in itself, neither good nor evil; it becomes the one or the other only through man. Man would first have to make himself unhappy, if pessimism were to have any basis. He would have to bear within him a craving after unhappiness. But the satisfaction of this longing gives a basis for his happiness. Pessimism would have to assume, consistently, that man sees his happiness in unhappiness. But here such a point of view would end in a nullity. These single objections show clearly enough the fallacy of pessimism.
20. Optimismus und Pessimismus
[ 1 ] Der Mensch hat sich uns als der Mittelpunkt der Weltordnung erwiesen. Er erreicht als Geist die höchste Form des Daseins und vollbringt im Denken den vollkommensten Weltprozeß. Nur wie er die Sachen beleuchtet, so sind sie wirklich. Das ist eine Ansicht, der zufolge der Mensch die Stütze, das Ziel und den Kern seines Daseins in sich selbst hat. Sie macht den Menschen zu einem sich selbst genugsamen Wesen. Er muß in sich den Halt finden für alles, was an ihm ist. Also auch für seine Glückseligkeit. Soll ihm die letztere werden, so kann er sie nur sich selbst verdanken. Jede Macht, die sie ihm von außen spendete, verdammte ihn damit zur Unfreiheit. Es kann dem Menschen nicht etwas Befriedigung gewähren, dem diese Fähigkeit nicht zuerst von ihm verliehen wurde. Soll etwas für uns eine Lust bedeuten, so müssen wir ihm erst jene Macht, durch die es solches kann, selbst verleihen. Lust und Unlust sind für den Menschen im höheren Sinne nur da, insofern er sie als solche empfindet. Damit fällt aller Optimismus und aller Pessimismus in sich zusammen. Jener nimmt an, die Welt sei so, daß in ihr alles gut sei, daß sie den Menschen zur höchsten Zufriedenheit führe. Soll das aber sein, dann muß er ihren Gegenständen selbst irgend etwas abgewinnen, wonach er verlangt, das heißt, er kann nicht durch die Welt sondern nur durch sich glücklich werden.
[ 2 ] Der Pessimismus hinwiederum glaubt, die Einrichtung der Welt sei eine solche, daß sie den Menschen ewig unbefriedigt lasse, daß er nie glücklich sein könne. Der obige Einwand gilt natürlich auch hier. Die äußere Welt ist an sich weder gut noch schlecht, sie wird es erst durch den Menschen. Der Mensch müßte sich selbst unglücklich machen, wenn der Pessimismus begründet sein sollte. Er müßte Verlangen nach dem Unglücke tragen. Die Befriedigung seines Verlangens begründet aber gerade sein Glück. Der Pessimist müßte folgerichtig annehmen, daß der Mensch im Unglücke sein Glück sieht. Damit würde seine Ansicht aber doch wieder in nichts zerfließen. Diese einzige Erwägung zeigt deutlich genug die Irrtümlichkeit des Pessimismus.
20. optimism and pessimism
[ 1 ] Man has proven to be the center of the world order. As spirit, he achieves the highest form of existence and accomplishes the most perfect world process in thinking. Only as he illuminates things are they real. This is a view according to which man has the support, the goal and the core of his existence in himself. It makes man a self-sufficient being. He must find in himself the support for everything about him. Thus also for his bliss. If the latter is to become his, he can only owe it to himself. Any power that would give it to him from outside would condemn him to lack of freedom. Nothing can give satisfaction to man to whom this ability was not first bestowed by him. If something is to give us pleasure, we must first give it the power that enables it to do so. Pleasure and displeasure are only there for man in the higher sense insofar as he feels them as such. Thus all optimism and all pessimism collapse. The latter assumes that the world is such that everything in it is good, that it leads man to the highest satisfaction. But if this is to be the case, then he must himself extract something from its objects that he desires, that is, he cannot become happy through the world but only through himself.
[ 2 ] Pessimism, on the other hand, believes that the world is set up in such a way that it leaves man eternally unsatisfied, that he can never be happy. The above objection naturally also applies here. The external world is neither good nor bad in itself, it only becomes so through man. Man would have to make himself unhappy if pessimism were to be justified. He would have to have a desire for unhappiness. But the satisfaction of his desire is the very foundation of his happiness. The pessimist would logically have to assume that man sees his happiness in misfortune. But this would again reduce his view to nothing. This single consideration shows clearly enough the fallacy of pessimism.