"The more unintelligent a man is, the less mysterious existence seems to him"

Arthur Schopenhauer’s observation points to a profound relationship between intelligence and one’s perception of reality. He suggests that the less intelligent an individual is, the more straightforward and ordinary the world appears. To such a person, daily life is largely unremarkable; existence is routine, governed by obvious rules, and presents few intellectual puzzles. Events simply happen, the sky is blue, people are born and die, time moves forward, and little is questioned or found perplexing. For these individuals, the world is a sequence of causes and effects that do not demand deeper inquiry, evoking no sense of wonder or philosophical curiosity.

Conversely, those with greater intelligence are more apt to recognize the complexity, depth, and inexplicability inherent in existence. Their minds are prone to draw connections, question assumptions, and ponder the ultimate nature of reality. Everyday phenomena, instead of being mundane, become sources of awe or confusion. Why does anything exist at all? What is consciousness? Is there meaning behind events, or is randomness at play? For the more intelligent person, answers to such questions are elusive, and the familiar world takes on an air of mystery. Nothing is fully understood; every answer opens up further questions. The opacity and multifaceted nature of existence keep them forever searching, and the mysterious quality of being itself grows more pronounced.

Schopenhauer implies that intelligence brings not only greater awareness, but also increased sensitivity to the enigmas of life. While simplicity can be comfortable, perhaps even enviable, it comes at the cost of depth. The intelligent individual, unable to rest in the obvious, invariably finds existence both wondrous and troubling, filled with puzzles that defy resolution. The ultimate paradox is that knowledge, far from dispelling mysteries, actually multiplies them, opening up a reality that becomes ever more profound and inexplicable the more it is explored.