The wisdom of life

Author: [German] Schopenhauer
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In this book, he temporarily sets aside the pessimistic philosophy of life from the will-to-live with an "elegant style" and explores the principles that life should follow from a secular perspective. From then on, his theories began to gain increasing attention. He passed away in September 1860, like a visionary sage, and Schopenhauer's loneliness was only later recognized in life. Schopenhauer told himself, "Remember, you are a genius. A genius must transcend his time, be misunderstood, and not belong to his era. Your books are written for posterity. Therefore, geniuses must inevitably be solitary. You must never abandon what you must uphold for anything!" Schopenhauer's philosophical thought is considered a fusion of Plato's theory of forms, Kant's theory of knowledge, the pantheism of the Vedas, and the view of existential nihilism. The topics discussed are numerous, and the content is simple yet profound. Many great thinkers of the late 19th century drew nourishment from it, especially Nietzsche, who was deeply fond of Schopenhauer's theories. Some even claim that Nietzsche, to some extent, inherited Schopenhauer's legacy. Although their ultimate philosophical outcomes differ, both were great philosophers of the will-to-live and believed that will is the essence of the world. At the same time, Schopenhauer's theory of existential emptiness laid the foundation for his pessimistic philosophy. The representative essays collected in this book only constitute a small part of Schopenhauer's entire philosophical works. It would be somewhat presumptuous to dwell on these carefully selected writings further. All we can do is read them with care.