Category: Schopenhauer
-
Individuality and determinism in Schopenhauer
You do not need to search long to find philosophers that rate Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) as the ultimate advocate of determinism. Nonetheless, they are wrong; their categorization of Schopenhauer as deterministic is superficial and overlooks a large number of key aspects in Schopenhauer’s philosophy. When analysing a philosopher, one must place his ideas at a…
-
Schopenhauer on determinism
It’s not correct to say that Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) embraced a form of metaphysical determinism. His philosophy rests on the assumption that the will (which I translate as “life force”) influences all events, but there is a substantial distance between influencing and determining. The difference between influence and determinism has large consequences. I am not…
-
Impact of the comparison between Schopenhauer and Hegel
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) expressed his dislike of Hegel’s philosophy at every opportunity. In fact, Schopenhauer devoted a good part of his key work “The world as will and representation” to opposing Hegelian ideas. Schopenhauer viewed Hegel (1770-1831) as an intellectual charlatan, and described Hegel’s ideas as too complicated and devoid of substance. In addition, Schopenhauer…
-
Comparison of Schopenhauer and Hegel
Seldom has the world seen such a deep, perennial animosity between philosophers as the one that existed between Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) and Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831). While Hegel basically ignored Schopenhauer, the latter was delighted when he read in the news that Hegel had died. “If he had died earlier,” commented Schopenhauer, “the world would have…
-
Critique of Schopenhauer’s philosophy of perception
The theory of perception is one of the weakest aspects in the philosophy developed by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860). It consolidates in one point all errors in Schopenhauer’s ideas. It’s so poorly reasoned that it may prevent us from appreciating the good parts of Schopenhauer’s philosophy. What is wrong with Schopenhauer’s theory of perception? I raise…
-
Schopenhauer and the philosophy of perception
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) developed an advanced theory of perception, representation and conceptualization. His philosophy revolves around the will as the fundamental driving force in existence. Schopenhauer’s understanding of perception is rooted in the subjective experience of each person. Schopenhauer does not view perception as a passive mirror. It’s not an automatic, objective reflection of an…
-
Origins of the similarities and differences between Schopenhauer and Nietzsche
Considering the rather miserable life of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), it is fair to ask why he grew apart from the ideas presented by Schopenhauer (1788-1860), instead of endorsing them and building them further. I must start by saying that the differences in personality and motivation between Schopenhauer and Nietzsche developed in a period of thirty…
-
Reasons for the similarities and differences between Schopenhauer and Nietzsche
There is substantial overlapping between the philosophies of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). The main reason for their similarities is that both men were dissatisfied with the Enlightenment ideas (from Kant and other thinkers) that dominated European universities. Schopenhauer and Nietzsche were not the only ones to feel discontented, but they expressed their…
-
Schopenhauer and Nietzsche: similarities and differences
Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche are two of the most important philosophers in history. Both lived in Germany (in territories that eventually became part of today’s Germany) and placed the theory of the will at the centre of their ideas. Schopenhauer (1788-1860) appreciated Kant, but criticised other mainstream philosophers such as Hegel. He had no…
-
Schopenhauer’s theory of the will compared to other philosophers
The influence of the theory of the will developed by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) has not always been acknowledged by those who had imitated his ideas. More often than not, other thinkers have quietly adopted Schopenhauer’s insights without giving him credit. Max Stirner (1806-1856) belongs to the next generation and wrote “The Ego and Its Own”…
Categories
Recent Posts
- The Taoist path to happiness
- The Taoist approach to happiness
- Schopenhauer: How to stop making the same mistakes twice
- Taoist parsimony in daily life
Tags
aesthetics Art of living authenticity balanced lifestyle biography Buddhism causality character development education effectiveness epistemology equanimity existentialism flourishing friendship governance happiness harmony humanism human nature justice literary style logic love and relationships moderation nature of existence peacefulness peace of mind personal growth pessimism potentiality quick insights relativism Renaissance resilience rhetoric self-discipline simple lifestyle solitude theory of the will the problem of evil Time management unconscious mind virtue wisdom