>philosophy must beware of wishing to be edifying.

>>24465387
The Christian doctrine that man is by nature evil is loftier than the opposite that he is naturally good, and is to be interpreted philosophically in this way. Man as spirit is a free being, who need not give way to impulse. Hence in his direct and unformed condition, man is in a situation in which he ought not to be, and he must free himself. This is the meaning of the doctrine of original sin, without which Christianity would not be the religion of freedom.
-Philosophy of Right section 18

One beautiful starry skied evening, we two stood next to each other at a window...and I talked of the stars with sentimental enthusiasm and called them the abode of the blessed. The master, however, grumbled to himself: 'The stars, hum! hum! The stars are only a gleaming leprosy in the sky.' For God's sake, I shouted, then there is no happy locality up there to reward virtues after death? He, however, staring at me with his pale eyes said cuttingly: 'So you want to get a tip for having nursed your sick mother and for not having poisoned your dear brother?