Book Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer
“A book can never be anything more than the impression of its author’s thoughts. The value of these thoughts lies either in the matter about which he has thought, or in the form in which he develops his matter — that is to say, what he has thought about it.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The World as Will and Representation, Arthur Schopenhauer, 1818
A book reflects only the author's thoughts; its worth depends on the subject matter or the way ideas are expressed.
In simple terms: Books mirror authors' ideas; value lies in content or presentation.
Key Takeaway
Assess both ideas and their expression.
Themes
philosophy
literature
value
Mood
contemplative
analytical
Type
reflective
critical
When to use this quote
- writing critique
- literary analysis
- education
- publishing
- reading
Key Concepts
subjectivity
expression
authorial intent
Questions to Reflect On
- How does an author's perspective shape a reader's understanding?
- Can form outweigh content in evaluating a work?
A Different Perspective
The impact of an author's bias may limit objectivity.
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
![“[Materialism] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism, to chemism, to polarity, to the vegetable and to the animal kingdom. And if we suppose this to have been done, the last link in the chain would be…” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/88c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_animal-kingdom_materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-s_50402.jpg)
