The Darkest Philosopher in History - Arthur Schopenhauer
Pursuit of Wonder・14 minutes read
Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher born in 1788, rejected a wealthy business career for academia, influencing modern thought with his philosophy of the "will to live" and emphasis on the inherent suffering in life. Despite initial lack of recognition, Schopenhauer's bleak views on existence shaped artists and writers like Wagner, Proust, Freud, and Nietzsche, questioning the value of life and advocating for engagement in arts and philosophy to combat the will's pursuit of survival.
Insights
- Schopenhauer's philosophy centered on the concept of the "will to live," a blind force driving existence towards survival and reproduction, emphasizing the inherent suffering in life and proposing arts, philosophy, or asceticism as means to alleviate pain.
- Despite initial obscurity, Schopenhauer gained fame in his 50s through essays and aphorisms, influencing prominent artists and writers like Wagner, Proust, Freud, and Nietzsche, shaping modern thought and challenging conventional views on the value of life.
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Recent questions
Who was Arthur Schopenhauer?
Arthur Schopenhauer was a philosopher born in 1788 in Gdansk, Poland, and raised in Hamburg, Germany. He rejected a career in business for academia after witnessing suffering and poverty during a European trip.
What were Schopenhauer's defining works?
By age 30, Schopenhauer published two defining works, including "The World as Will and Representation," which established his philosophical system and gained him fame in his 50s after publishing essays and aphorisms in 1851.
What was Schopenhauer's philosophy influenced by?
Schopenhauer's philosophy, influenced by Kant, posited that reality is a mental representation created by our senses, with a singular unified force driving existence, described as the "will to live."
How did Schopenhauer propose to combat the will's relentless pursuit?
To combat the will's relentless pursuit, Schopenhauer proposed engaging in arts and philosophy or practicing asceticism to minimize pain and find relief, influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.
Who were some artists and writers influenced by Schopenhauer's work?
Schopenhauer's work, though bleak, influenced artists like Wagner and writers like Proust, Freud, and Nietzsche, shaping modern thinking and questioning the value of life.
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Summary
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Schopenhauer: Philosopher of Pessimism and Influence
- Arthur Schopenhauer, a philosopher, was born in 1788 in Gdansk, Poland, and raised in Hamburg, Germany.
- Schopenhauer, born into wealth, rejected a career in business for academia after witnessing suffering and poverty during a European trip.
- He attended the University of Gottingen in 1809, focusing on philosophy in his third semester before transferring to the University of Berlin for a better program.
- By age 30, Schopenhauer published two defining works, including "The World as Will and Representation," establishing his philosophical system.
- Despite initial lack of recognition, Schopenhauer gained fame in his 50s after publishing essays and aphorisms in 1851.
- Schopenhauer's philosophy, influenced by Kant, posited that reality is a mental representation created by our senses, with a singular unified force driving existence.
- He described this force as the "will to live," a blind, unconscious striving towards survival, nourishment, and reproduction.
- Schopenhauer's work, influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism, introduced a layer of dark pessimism, emphasizing the inherent suffering in life.
- To combat the will's relentless pursuit, Schopenhauer proposed engaging in arts and philosophy or practicing asceticism to minimize pain and find relief.
- Schopenhauer's work, though bleak, influenced artists like Wagner and writers like Proust, Freud, and Nietzsche, shaping modern thinking and questioning the value of life.
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