Die Schere #6: Notes

[Guenter Rebing <Rebing@compuserve.com>]

It must have been indeed a radically scientific-minded pastor who would
talk to a hunchback like this, even when put on the defence like here.
"Wenig tröstlich" for the individual indeed, as little as it were for a
patient of today being told by his family doctor that he has a "beautiful
cancer". 
Although Weber (alias Democritus) published his "Papiere eines lachenden
Philosophen" in the first half of the 19th century his is in fact a mind
from the Age of the Enlightenment. He was eager to collect instances of
human behaviour bizarre enough to make his readers laugh and gain (or being
taught) philosophical insights at the same time. Diderot showed a similar
interest, particularly in "Le neveu de Rameau".
EJ was a trained zoologist and this is one of the reasons why he, though
frowning upon the behaviour of the pastor ("steht ihm wenig an") he agrees
with him as regards his judgment: "Der Bescheid trifft die Sache". But also
EJ, the philosopher, must agree. If he assumes that Fate can will
"hunchedbackness" (a term which is indeed apt here) it is indeed legitimate
to ask whether Fate has done its job so well that even the "Genius der
Welt" might be revealed with this particular hunchback.
EJ does not let this question stand as a mere exercise in cold-hearted
dèsinvolture, be it philosophical or aesthetic. He defends the insistence
upon looking at the fact only without blurring it with the veil of
Christian love. He argues it can be as salutary as a surgeon's incision.
"Es ist zu fragen": Not only the philosopher but any individual burdened by
Fate with any of countless possible handicaps ought to ask himself how he
can "mit seinem Pfunde wuchern", in what way he resigns to it or even turns
it into an asset. 

Some remaining questions:
1. Where in his writings did EJ mention the anecdote of the hunchback
before?
2. Why would a lama (= Tibetan Buddhist priest or monk) look at an
individual in a similarly detached and professional way like an anatomist
or a painter keen on studying human deformities?
3. Who on the List could contribute some examples of the Cynics' (obviously
with "DIE Zyniker" that school of Greek philosophy is meant here)
predilection for concentrating upon objectivity and excluding personal
concerns ("Verweis auf die Sache")?

Günter Rebing