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Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) by Christopher Janaway is a philosophy book available to read on EtoBox.

What is Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) about?

Arthur Schopenhauer remains somewhat notorious for his fervent pessimism concerning human existence. Not only does he claim that the universe and our embedded lives contain no purpose or special status, he also argues that determinism and unavoidable suffering inherently imbue our lives. Beneath this lies 'the will,' a kind of force or compulsion that drives us onwards towards life (not living, but life). This 'will to life' provides the foundation for our motivations, desires, and passions. It has no meaning or purpose apart from 'life.' Thus many cherished human institutions, including love, crumble into mere manifestations of this mysterious striving. Love becomes natures' way to get us to reproduce, not to passionately embody another person's being. It should come as no surprise that Schopenhauer remained unmarried throughout his long privileged, but seemingly bitter, life. Regardless, his work, written througout the nineteenth century but often sounding extremely modern, has influenced other well-known thinkers, artists and movements including Nietzsche, Wagner, Wittgenstein, and psychoanalysis. Some threads of our modern ethos seem to trace back to his brooding texts. Given

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Author

Christopher Janaway

Publisher

Oxford University Press, USA

Published

2002

Language

EN

ISBN

9780192802590

Category

philosophy

Subjects

Social Science, Fiction, Memoir

Rating

3.72 / 5 (235 ratings)

Updated

2026-03-14