Appendices and Omissions

itself. Even the most objective spirit is not free from these; for, as Schopenhauer says very truly: "There can be no intellect that does not mix into the essential and purely objective aspect of knowledge a subjective element foreign to it, arising from the personality that supports and conditions the intellect—that is, something individual—whereby the former is always contaminated." (See § 50 of the 2nd volume of the present work.) Schopenhauer refers here to his theory of "subjective coloring," where every individual's unique personality slightly distorts their perception of objective truth. Instead, therefore, of becoming indignant over Schopenhauer’s faults and weaknesses as if they were something unheard of, as his opponents do, one should rather seek to understand them. Schopenhauer’s human frailties—although I had the opportunity to get to know them as closely as anyone else—have never hindered me in my recognition of the great and immortal things he has achieved for humanity. Despite these flaws, I still consider Schopenhauer to be the same genius, to be numbered among the greatest thinkers and most significant writers of all centuries, as I have held him to be from the very beginning. —

Finally, I should like to note that the annotations added to this edition, which originate from me and serve partly as explanations and partly to complete some of Schopenhauer’s citations, are designated as such. Frauenstädt was Schopenhauer’s primary disciple and editor; his additions helped standardize the many loose notes Schopenhauer left behind after his death in 1860.

Berlin, in November 1861.