philanthropist once observed

[keannu]

1. Does this "observe" mean "watch, witness" or "speak of one's opinion" or "understand"? I think the second.

gu52)It might sound strange, but hardship and struggle can help us later in life...It is a matter of perspective, similar to the difference of seeing a glass of water as half empty or half full. As a famous philanthropist once observed, when it comes to people's attitudes, the big difference is whether they are positive or negative...So, while hard times can be a bitter experience, not all good medicines taste sweet.

[emsr2d2]

You're right.

[probus]

I think "observed" means "said" or "stated his opinion", rather than "watch" or "witness". Having said that, "witnessed" can be equivalent to "bore witness to", which is an old-fashioned phrase very close in meaning to "said".