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Full Idea
Reasonable and vicious are quite consistent with each other, in fact, only through their union are great and far-reaching crimes possible.
Gist of Idea
Reason can be vicious, and great crimes have to be rational
Source
Arthur Schopenhauer (On the Basis of Morality [1841], p.83), quoted by Christopher Janaway - Schopenhauer 7 'Against'
Book Ref
Janaway,Christopher: 'Schopenhauer' [OUP 2002], p.90
A Reaction
This is opposed to Kant, who always looks wildly optimistic in his hope that high rationality entails a morally good will. Good people seem to have a fairly irrational empathy with their fellow citizens.
| 21379 | Man's three basic ethical incentives are egoism, malice and compassion [Schopenhauer] |
| 21375 | Reason can be vicious, and great crimes have to be rational [Schopenhauer] |
| 21376 | Philosophy treats animals as exploitable things, ignoring the significance of their lives [Schopenhauer] |