Product Description

One of the greatest philosophers of the nineteenth century, Schopenhauer (1788–1860) believed that human action is determined not by reason but by ‘will’ – the blind and irrational desire for physical existence. This selection of his writings on religion, ethics, politics, women, suicide, books and many other themes is taken from Schopenhauer’s last work, Parerga and Paralipomena, which he published in 1851. These pieces depict humanity as locked in a struggle beyond good and evil, and each individual absolutely free within a Godless world, in which art, morality and self-awareness are our only salvation. This innovative – and pessimistic – view has proved powerfully influential upon philosophy and art, directly affecting the work of Nietzsche, Wittgenstein and Wagner among others.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32137 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-26
• Original language: German
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

About the Author
Arthur Schopenhauer was born in Danzig in 1788 where his family, of Dutch origin, owned a respected trading house. Arthur was expected to inherit the business, but hated the work and in 1807, after his father's suicide and the sale of the business, he enrolled in the grammar school at Gotha. He went on to study medicine and science at Gottingen University and in 1810 began to study philosophy. In 1811 he transferred to Berlin to write his doctoral thesis, and began to write The World as Will and Idea, a complete exploration of his philosophy, which was finished in 1818. Although the book failed to sell, his belief in his own views sustained him through twenty-five years of frustrated desire for fame. During his middle life he travelled widely in Europe and in 1844 brought out a much expanded edition of his book, which after his death became one of the most widely read of all philosophical works. His fame was established in 1851 with the publication of Parerga and Paralipomena, a collection of dialogues, essays and aphorisms. He died in 1860. R.J. Hollingdale has translated works by, among others, Schopenhauer, Goethe, T.A. Hoffmann, Lichtenburg and Theodor Fontane, as well as eleven of Nietzsche's books, many for the Penguin Classics. He has published two books on Nietzsche and was Honorary President of the British Nietzsche Society until his death in 2003.

Customer Reviews

Not the thing to cheer you up.
Schopenhauer is rightly accorded one of the finest writers ever to publish serious philosophy. And here, in his Essay's & Aphorisms, you can taste just a little of his prose.

As far as his philosophy (the most pessimistic you'll ever find) goes this is a far easier though much less expansive volume than his great World as Will & Representation. This volume is, in effect, an appetizer. However, he does offer us a few interesting essays which can provide the springboard into his mammoth two volume masterpeice.

Particularly of interest is Schopenhauer's essay on aesthetics, and his work on suffering.

However, women may find his essay On Women a little hard to stomach: he makes Neitzche look like Shere Hite.

There is also a fine introduction by Hollingdale, one of the best scholars of German philosophy about. So: read this, then read the major work.

a not so academic review
Schopenhauer's essays are entertaining and profound in equal measure. Even if the subject matter fails to intrigue, his mastery of prose and ascerbic wit hold your attention span.

Some of the most interesting essays concern the themes of morality and justice, particularly when applied to our world of increasing Secularism. As a stoic atheist, his writings concern our innate sense of humanity while lamenting it for all its shortcomings such as our treatment of animals and the invention of the Victorian lady (see his essay on "Women") - only the donkey is spared such disdain. I still don't agree with the view that he was a cynic and would argue that he was easily unimpressed, like most humourists.

Overall, a palatable read for anyone who dares challenge the idea that Philosophy can't be fun. If that sounds trivial I apologise but seeing as it's essays AND aphorisms, it can't help but take itself less seriously.

Beautiful writing style leaves Kant gathering dust.
Darn it all I like a german master to be comprehensible and entertaining in his writing style, and Schopy goes right to the top of the class here.A delightful read, just don't expect the same kind of easy to read treasures with the other germans, some Neizche aside.

And what a terrible cultural facism only to like philosophers with an entetaining prose style, spinoza aside.Still I'm no philosopher, Im a typical piscean male living in a dream world, and I only poke my toe into philosophy in the autumn months for about 2 weeks each year, so entertaining they have to be old fruit, and that's that! A final point, will reviewers be succint and entertaining in their reviews, and not blather endlessly on the contents of what they are reviewing?