“Correct and accurate conclusions may be arrived at if we carefully observe the relation of the spheres of concepts”

—  Arthur Schopenhauer , book The World as Will and Representation

Vol. I, Ch. 10, as translated by R. B. Haldane
The World as Will and Representation (1819; 1844; 1859)
Context: Correct and accurate conclusions may be arrived at if we carefully observe the relation of the spheres of concepts, and only conclude that one sphere is contained in a third sphere, when we have clearly seen that this first sphere is contained in a second, which in its turn is contained in the third. On the other hand, the art of sophistry lies in casting only a superficial glance at the relations of the spheres of the concepts, and then manipulating these relations to suit our purposes, generally in the following way: — When the sphere of an observed concept lies partly within that of another concept, and partly within a third altogether different sphere, we treat it as if it lay entirely within the one or the other, as may suit our purpose.

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Arthur Schopenhauer 261
German philosopher 1788–1860

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