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 overcomplicated and devoid of substance. In addition, Schopenhauer arguing that Hegel’s dialectical method only serves to obfuscates truth.
Schopenhauer’s ideas found resonance among thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) who emphasize the theory of the will and its influence on human existence. Thanks to the work of Nietzsche, Schopenhauer’s influence grew in the latter half of the nineteenth century.
Examples of Schopenhauer’s and Hegel’s impact
Amongst other German-speaking artists, Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was influenced by Schopenhauer’s view of music as a direct expression of the will. Wagner’s operas, such as “Tristan and Isolde,” revolves around Schopenhauer’s themes.
Hegel’s ideas went to exert influence on Karl Marx (1818-1883). In particular, Marx’s dialectical materialism emerged as a driving force in philosophy and political thought. Its alleged effects on history are similar to those caused by the absolute spirit invented by Hegel.
Marx viewed the dialectical materialism as an unstoppable, overwhelming historical force. His followers adopted the most extreme pseudo-scientific arguments and claimed their forecast to be infallible.
Individualism and freedom in Schopenhauer and Hegel
While Schopenhauer’s followers became more individualist over time, Hegel’s followers went in the opposite direction. It’s not a surprise that these two philosophical families grew so far away from each other that they forgot their common origin.
In his PhD dissertation “On the fourfold root of the principle of sufficient reason” (published in 1814) and in his work “The world as will and representation” (1818), Schopenhauer emphasises freedom, but not without acknowledging the influence of the will.
Schopenhauer observed that “although each person remains free to make his own choices, those will always be influenced by the will.” He encourages readers to make judicious choices by protecting their downside and steering away from oversized risks.”
In contrast, Hegelian thinkers have little concern for free choice. They ramble about the “consciousness of freedom,” but without any connection to reality; they also speculate about the role of the absolute spirit on individual minds, but their debates are meaningless.
Motivation in Schopenhauer and Hegel
What about motivation? For Schopenhauer’s followers, this is an area where personal goals are strengthened by the will. In “The world as will and representation,” (1818), he compares the will to a strong blind man carrying on his shoulders a lame man who can actually see.”
The motivation of the blind man is strengthened by the lame man’s capacity to see. If they work together, they can achieve anything. If they proceed systematically, they’ll advance faster.
Hegelian thinkers in contrast prefer to couple individual motivation to the large steps of history. The role of persons in a historical event tends to be regarded as insignificant except for a few rarely gifted historical figures.
The comparison between Schopenhauer and Hegel also has an impact on ethics. Look for example at Schopenhauer’s love for animals and his remark about compassion.
Comparison between Schopenhauer’s and Hegel’s ethics
“Compassion for animals,” wrote Schopenhauer “is closely associated with goodness of heart. Someone cruel to animals is unlikely to possess a good character.” You will never find these sharp ethical observations in Hegel, because he is focused on the grand scheme of things.
Schopenhauer’s view of empathy and compassion as major virtues demonstrates a true gentleness of heart. He is warmly concerned for the well-being of other humans in general. His efforts to help the individual are helping society as a whole.
In contrast, Hegelian thinkers love to use grandiose terms in ways that are meaningless. Hegel himself employed the terms “passion” and “freedom” very frequently, but always giving an impression of deterministic coldness.
Look for instance at this quote from Hegel: “Nothing great in history has been accomplished without passion.” It sounds visionary, mystical and overwhelming, but has no relation to a personal context.
Schopenhauer’s impact is strong amongst individualistic and reflective spirits; those know how to appreciate also the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian origins of some Schopenhauer’s ideas.
Hegel’s influence is larger in the area of politics and social sciences. Hegelian thinkers are more concerned with abstract, absolute discussions about historical progress, but show a cold heart for the personal suffering of individuals.
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