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),…

Few thinkers in history have developed integrated systems of philosophy. I view Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) as one of those few. The key of Schopenhauer’s philosophy is that all reality is governed by a cosmical force, which he calls “Will.” According to Schopenhauer, Will is blind, irrational, eternal and all-powerful. It’s the prime force that drives…