In contrast to the fragmentary prescriptions often given by psychologists, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) aimed at one comprehensive explanation for the world, including all living creatures. In his work “The world as will and representation” (1818), he argues that the will (“life force”) prompts all living creatures to ensure their own survival and reproduction, seeking short-term…

Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) did not acknowledge at every opportunity an intellectual debt towards Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) because he claimed to have created the theory of the unconscious or theory of instincts as a driving force of human psychology. However, anyone familiar with Freud’s and Schopenhauer’s ideas cannot possibly fail to notice the close similarity between…

In terms of chronology, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) preceded Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) by two generations. The worlds they inhabited were different, but Freud’s psychological insights rest upon the philosophy developed by Schopenhauer. Schopenhauer outlined his philosophy in “The world as will and representation,” a book published in 1818. The theory of the will (“life force”) constitutes…

The twentieth century brought strong criticism of the views on the unconscious presented by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860). I am referring specifically to the works of Carl Rogers, Wilhelm Reich and William James. Their definitions of the unconscious are based on the ideas developed by Schopenhauer, but only after having narrowed them down to a point…

Few historians acknowledge the large influence of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) on psychology. I’m not just talking about his influence on Sigmund Freud and the concept of the unconscious mind. Schopenhauer’s theory of the will (“life force”) as irrational driver of human psychology had set the background for Freud’s concept of a subconscious. Nowadays, it’s widely…

The philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) on the unconscious has exerted a vast influence on later thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, or Wilhelm Reich. In his work “The world as will and representation” (1818), Schopenhauer outlined his philosophy of the unconscious. It’s based on his theory of the will, which I…