Arthur Schopenhauer

Arthur Schopenhauer – Life, Thought & Legacy

Discover the life and philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) — the German philosopher of pessimism, known for The World as Will and Representation. Explore his biography, central ideas, influence, and enduring lessons.

Introduction

Arthur Schopenhauer (February 22, 1788 – September 21, 1860) was a German philosopher often called the “philosopher of pessimism.” will as the root of existence. His work was largely overshadowed in his lifetime, but later exerted wide influence in philosophy, literature, psychology, and art.

Schopenhauer expanded on and critiqued Kant’s philosophy, incorporating influences from Eastern thought (particularly ideas aligned with Indian philosophy and Buddhism) to argue that desire, striving, and suffering are fundamental to life.

Below is a closer look at his life, central concepts, and how his thought continues to resonate today.

Early Life & Education

Arthur Schopenhauer was born in Danzig (today Gda?sk, Poland) on February 22, 1788, when it was part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Heinrich Floris Schopenhauer, was a merchant, and his mother Johanna Schopenhauer (née Trosiener) was a writer and intellectual figure.

During his youth, his family moved to Hamburg, and Arthur was educated abroad (e.g. in Le Havre) and in Germany.

He studied at the Universities of Göttingen and Jena, completing his doctoral dissertation in 1813 On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason.

During his student years, he engaged deeply with the works of Kant, Plato, and philosophers like Fichte, Schelling, and others — albeit often in critique.

Philosophical System & Key Ideas

Schopenhauer’s philosophy is complex, but several central ideas define his system.

The World as Representation & The World as Will

One of his fundamental claims is:

• The world as we experience it (phenomenal world) is a representation (Vorstellung) — i.e. things appear to us under the forms of space, time, causality, etc.

• But “behind” or “beneath” appearances lies the will (Wille) — a blind, striving, irrational force that drives existence itself.

• In this schema, the will is metaphysically prior and manifests itself in all phenomena (nature, living beings, human behavior).

He argues that much of human life is the expression of this will — desiring, striving, wanting — which is the source of suffering, frustration, and dissatisfaction.

Pessimism & Human Suffering

Because desire is insatiable, Schopenhauer held that life is essentially suffering. He considered happiness an exception, not a primal state.

His view is that many of our behaviors, illusions, and pursuits are attempts to distract ourselves from the fundamental dissatisfaction that stems from the will.

Escape from the Will: Aesthetic Contemplation & Asceticism

Schopenhauer offers ways to temporarily or permanently “escape” the tyranny of the will:

• Aesthetic experience — through art (especially music), one can step out of the ego and desire and perceive the world more purely (i.e. the object “in itself”). In such moments, one becomes a “will-less, painless, timeless subject of cognition.”

• Asceticism or denial of willing — to suppress desires and reduce suffering by negating the will (a route akin to Buddhist paths).

He sees these as higher or rare ways to mitigate the suffering inherent to life.

Ethics, Compassion & Morality

In his ethical outlook, Schopenhauer emphasizes compassion (Mitleid) — the capacity to recognize oneself in others and alleviate suffering. He considers it the “basis of morality.”

He rejects moral systems grounded purely in duty or utility (as in Kant or utilitarianism), arguing instead for a morality that arises from the recognition of shared suffering.

Influence of Eastern Thought

Schopenhauer was one of the first major Western philosophers to engage seriously with Indian philosophy (esp. Upanishads) and Buddhist notions. He saw parallels between his doctrine of the will, suffering, and the Buddhist idea of desire as the source of suffering.

He believed that Western and Eastern philosophies could inform one another in grappling with desire, suffering, and transcendence.

Historical Context & Reception

In Schopenhauer’s era, German philosophy was dominated by Hegelian Idealism. Schopenhauer positioned himself in direct opposition, rejecting elaborate systematic idealism and emphasizing metaphysics of will over rational principles.

During his lifetime, his fame was limited; few academics took him seriously.

His influence is visible in existentialism (e.g. Nietzsche), psychology (Freud, partly), literature (Tolstoy, Borges), music, art, and philosophical pessimism.

Personality, Life Challenges & Final Years

Schopenhauer was known for a cantankerous, solitary personality. He was critical of many contemporaries and relationships (notably with his mother).

He experienced health problems in his later years (respiratory issues) and died in Frankfurt am Main on September 21, 1860, from respiratory failure.

Though relatively obscure in his time, his works such as The World as Will and Representation and Parerga and Paralipomena became standard reference points for later generations.

Famous Aphorisms & Quotes

Here are a few representative quotations:

• “Compassion is the basis of morality.”

• “A man can do what he wants, but not want what he wants.”

• “Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.”

• “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.”

• “We forfeit three?quarters of ourselves in order to be like other people.”

These capture his themes of destiny, morality, individual suffering, and the cost of social conformity.

Legacy & Influence

Schopenhauer’s legacy remains rich and multifaceted:

• He challenged the primacy of rationalism and idealism in German philosophy, re-centering metaphysics on will and suffering.

• His integration of Eastern philosophical motifs into Western thought opened new cross-cultural dialogues.

• He influenced figures such as Nietzsche, Wagner, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Freud, Jung, and many modern thinkers.

• His ideas continue to be explored in philosophy, literary studies, psychology, art, and cultural critique.

• Philosophical pessimism—once marginal—is still vibrant as a philosophical orientation in part due to Schopenhauer’s systematic articulation of it.

Lessons & Reflections

From engaging with Schopenhauer’s philosophy, we can draw several lessons:

1. Desire is a double-edged sword. Many of our frustrations arise from wanting rather than having; awareness of desire’s nature can lessen its grip.

2. Art as reprieve. The aesthetic dimension of life can offer respite from relentless striving.

3. Compassion through recognition. Acknowledging that others suffer like ourselves can ground ethical life.

4. Limits of optimism. Schopenhauer forces us to confront discomfort and disillusionment in a way that idealistic philosophies sometimes bypass.

5. Dialogue across traditions. His openness to Eastern traditions urges us to cross cultural boundaries in thinking about suffering, desire, and transcendence.