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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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”…

The theory of the will formulated by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was neither original nor revolutionary. Before the publication of Schopenhauer’s ideas, dozens of theologians had postulated that a divine force is the ultimate driver of all events in the world. Even Aristotle (384-322 BC) had speculated that all actions in the cosmos are driven by…

The theory of the will constitutes the key element in all books by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) and the most distinctive aspect of his philosophy. Schopenhauer regarded “the Will” as the fundamental force in nature, a force that drives animal and human existence. Schopenhauer is the most important thinker in the decades after Immanuel Kant (1724-1804),…