Arthur Schopenhauer, a German Philosopher, argues that reading “robs the mind of all elasticity” (Line 20). Schopenhauer does this by claiming that reading “forces thoughts upon the mind” (Line 5-6) creating a point in which the mind cannot return to where it was before reading. More importantly, this leads to Schopenhauer’s belief that in order to achieve efficient learning, one must think for oneself before proceeding to reading. Furthermore, Schopenhauer claims thinking for oneself will allow you to achieve learning more intimately and purposefully. Schopenhauer’s claim reveals a clear possibility that reading is a hindrance of one’s learning, not an augment. One who lacks independent thinking will lack a clear understanding of the subject. This value of independent thought should be incorporated into all learning regardless of subject to increase understanding and liking.
Thought is central to today’s learning. Complete understanding of a subject, however, proves difficult. Thinking for oneself, allows for
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Schopenhauer’s belief is far from the complete denouncement of reading but is rather the claim that reading is a boundary to complete mastery of a subject. It is clear that thinking for oneself forms a purposeful understanding of the subject in the way the person wishes to learn it. It can be asserted that reading is able to form learning, however, reading provides an indefinite amount of thoughts, rendering the mind unable to process for itself, but rather for the reading. This indefinite amount makes it hard for any purposeful learning to occur. Thinking for yourself allows you to identify one thought to base the rest of the material on. In order to learn purposefully from the bible, one must think freely of oneself, in order to assimilate the rest of the bible in an undemanding