The World as Will and Idea (Vol. 2 of 3)

Schopenhauer · en
But _linere_ means to smear; therefore the
favoured spelling might actually be correct for the greater part of German
bookmaking; so that one could distinguish a very small “_Litteratur_” from
a very extensive “_Literatur._” In order to write concisely let a man
improve his style and shun all useless gossip and chatter, and then he
will not need to cut out syllables and letters on account of the dearness
of paper. But to write so many useless pages, useless sheets, useless
books, and then to want to make up this waste of time and paper at the
cost of the innocent syllables and letters—that is truly the superlative
of what is called in English being penny wise and pound foolish. It is to
be regretted that there is no German Academy to take charge of the
language against literary _sans-culottism_, especially in an age when even
those who are ignorant of the ancient language venture to employ the
press. I have expressed my mind more fully on the whole subject of the
inexcusable mischief being done at the present day to the German language
in my “Parerga,” vol. ii. chap. 23.

In my essay on the principle of sufficient reason, § 51, I already
proposed a first _classification of the sciences_ in accordance with the
form of the principle of sufficient reason which reigns in them; and I
also touched upon it again in §§ 7 and 15 of the first volume of this
work. I will give here a small attempt at such a classification, which
will yet no doubt be susceptible of much improvement and perfecting:—


    I. Pure _a priori_ Sciences.

    1. The doctrine of the ground of being.

    (_a._) In space: Geometry.

    (_b._) In time: Arithmetic and Algebra.

    2. The doctrine of the ground of knowing: Logic.

    II. Empirical or _a posteriori_ Sciences. All based upon the
    ground of becoming, _i.e._, the law of causality, and upon the
    three modes of that law.

    1. The doctrine of causes.

    (_a._) Universal: Mechanics, Hydrodynamics, Physics, Chemistry.

    (_b._) Particular: Astronomy, Mineralogy, Geology, Technology,
    Pharmacy.

    2. The doctrine of stimuli.

    (_a._) Universal: Physiology of plants and animals, together with
    the ancillary science, Anatomy.

    (_b._) Particular: Botany, Zoology, Zootomy, Comparative
    Physiology, Pathology, Therapeutics.

    3. The doctrine of motives.

    (_a._) Universal: Ethics, Psychology.

    (_b._) Particular: Jurisprudence, History.