Re: CHAT: Against stupidity

Quoting BP Jonsson <bpj@...>:

> At 13:35 2002-09-12 -0500, Thomas R. Wier wrote:
>
> >Of course.  That they would have to deal with others'
> >stupidity is how I immediately interpreted it, because
> >IIRC Schiller never underwent the period of religious
> >doubt and agnosticism that Goethe did.
>
> I find it noteworthy that he says "Götter" and not "God"!
I don't find that so important.  No one asserts that someone
using the phrase "By Jove!" is actually invoking the chief of
the Roman pantheon.  In Schiller's case, the main reason to
believe he would be favorable towards religion is entirely
external to this quote.  (If I understand your comment aright,
that is.)

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Thomas Wier            "I find it useful to meet my subjects personally,
Dept. of Linguistics    because our secret police don't get it right
University of Chicago   half the time." -- octogenarian Sheikh Zayed of
1010 E. 59th Street     Abu Dhabi, to a French reporter.
Chicago, IL 60637