Schopenhauer

Schopenhauer, ARTHUR (1788-1860), German pessimistic philosopher, was the son of a banker, and was born at Dantzic. His mother, a well-known authoress, was acquainted with most of the great. German writers of the time, who visited her house, and in that way the future philosopher had early and unusnal opportunities of cultivating his intellect. His precocity was the subject of remark, and his peculiar contempt for humanity seems to have been developed in him whilst he was a boy. In 1809 he entered Gottingen University, afterwards attending the lectures of Fichte in Berlin, and travelling in England and France. He became very fond of English and French literature, and expressed some scorn for that of Germany and for his countrymen. In 1813 he had graduated at Jena, and, after much restless journeying, settled in Frankfort-on-the-Main, possessing sufficient means to gratify his whims. He pursued his studies closely, and lived the life of a recluse. He had a strong feeling of admiration for Oriental ideas. and enthusiastically praised Buddha. His principal work is that entitled Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung (The World as Will and Idea), which came out in 1819, and was very coldly received, a fact which did not tend to dissipate his contemptuous views of human nature. He was very ill-tempered, and had a profound disbelief in the goodness or intelligence of women. Slowly but surely he attracted some admirers of his philosophy, and a second edition of his work appeared in 1844. His philosophy is partly based on that of Kant; but the Will (= force), rather than the Idea, was the mainspring of his system. He held that human nature was as evil as it well could be. His style is excellent, and an English translation of his chief work appeared in 1886.